Hunted
by SanitysOverrated87
Summary: Kagome died when Naraku was killed and Inuyasha made a wish to bring her back. It brought back Naraku as well and now he has joined with a new ally. What will they do and who is the person Midoriko said to look for? COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**_B.D. has done it again. Come out with another new fanfic. It's not a joint like _Hearts Entwined _simply an Inuyasha. Please review though._**

* * *

It hurt, everything hurt, and she opened her eyes to see thick black smoke covering the beautiful blueness of the sky. She tried to sit up but she felt her body convulse in pain and she screamed. Within seconds she felt hands gently holding onto her arms and making her stay still as she thrashed in agony. When she was finally able to catch her breath and hold still she opened her eyes again to see Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha and Shippo looking down at her. Sango was crying as was Shippo. Miroku and Inuyasha had tears in their eyes but seemed to be holding them back from rolling down their faces. "What is it?" Kagome choked out. "Why are you crying?"

Sango turned away sobbing and Inuyasha pushed a round object into Kagome's palm. "Here take the jewel." As soon as it was within her grasp she felt it purify completely and its warmth resonated against her palm.

"Why is everyone crying?" She demanded then winced in pain. She couldn't feel her legs. She moved her arms and forced her head up to look down her body before anyone could stop her. Her lower half was a bloody mess. Bleeding wounds were covered by bandages but the amount of flesh that had come from her stomach made her realize why they were crying. "I'm dying."

Miroku laid her back down. "Wish on the jewel. Wish to live and everything will be okay."

Kagome felt her eyes burn as tears rolled down them but she felt calmness in her heart. She had always suspected that she would die here. She was the weakest, she just had always hoped it wouldn't happen this early in their lives. She lifted her hand and Inuyasha grabbed it pressing it gently. "Take the jewel Inuyasha."

"No Kagome…" He said his voice harsh.

"Take the damn jewel." She muttered and pushed the hand she held away with the jewel now in his palm. "It's yours by right Inuyasha."

Inuyasha felt his heart constrict at the sound of her heart slowing down. She was going to die soon. "Please Kagome…"

"No Inuyasha." She said looking at him with a sad smile. "The jewel is yours, make whatever wish you truly desire."

"I want you to stay with me Kagome." He said touching her cheek.

She felt more tears leak from her eyes and she took his hand from her cheek and kissed it gently. "I love you Inuyasha. I think I have since I freed you from that tree." Inuyasha's breath caught in his throat. "Make the wish you want most Inuyasha. I'm happy I was with you when I died." And she closed her eyes. _I love you Inuyasha…_her breathing stopped, and her heart.

"Kagome. Kagome! KAGOME!!" Inuyasha screamed. He leaned down and shoved his face into her shoulder. "You can't leave me." He cried. He felt Miroku's hand on his shoulder and looked up not trying to hide the tears on his cheeks.

"Use the jewel Inuyasha." Miroku said past his own tears. Sango was sobbing hysterically in his arms and he felt helpless to do anything.

Inuyasha nodded and clutched the jewel tightly. He began to whispered words to it and it erupted in a bright light. When the light disappeared from the battleground, there was no one to be seen.

_I love you Inuyasha…_Kagome thought. She felt light and happy, there was no more pain, and she knew she had died. She felt sadness press on her momentarily, _I wish I was wish Inuyasha always. _She looked around the saw she was in a meadow that looked like a Monet painting, very foggy and unclear.

"Do not worry child." A woman's voice said behind her.

Kagome turned to look at her, "Midoriko?"

The woman smiled, "Yes. Now we only have a moment, so listen closely. Inuyasha is about to make a wish and it will bring you back to life. However, his wish will cause a demon to arise that wants to rule the world. It is up to you all to defeat this monster."

Kagome nodded, "We will kill him."

Midoriko smiled sadly, "Be careful, he is hunting you specifically. Seek out Kouga and Sesshomaru, they will be great allies in this battle. You did not need them for Naraku but you will for him. Also there is another who will join, you will know them by the cross tattoo."

"Why me specifically?" Kagome asked as the world began to fade. "Who is this demon?"

"Naraku…he came back to life and he joined with a boy who you know." Midoriko said and the world dropped around Kagome.

Kagome opened her eyes at the sound of birds chirping. She stared at the ceiling to her room for a moment before she realized where she was and leapt to her feet. She ran downstairs and into her mothers arms. "Kagome! When did you get back?"

"Oh mom." She said quietly. She turned when she heard the door open and footsteps running for the kitchen. Inuyasha burst into the room and for a minute could only stare at Kagome. "Inuyasha." She breathed. He leapt to her side and crushed her to his side.

"What is going on? Who are you?" Mrs. Higurashi asked the people in the doorway behind him.

"My name is Miroku, this is Sango and Shippo." Miroku's voice came. Kagome was happy they were there to but for the life of her she refused to move away from Inuyasha. "You see…in the Feudal Era in our last battle with Naraku…Kagome died." Mrs. Higurashi's head whipped around to Kagome and then looked back at Miroku as he went on. "Inuyasha wished her alive and for us all to come here and live together. Everything went really bright for a minute and when the light dimmed we were in the well house." He finished.

Mrs. Higurashi sat at the table and pointed the three to sit down. "Tell me everything."

Inuyasha let Kagome go and touched her cheek to wipe away the tears. "We'll be together now."

She gave him a smile and sat down with him close to her side. She listened to the others tell about the final battle and paid close attention to what had happened when she was injured and unconscious. When the story was done her mother dried her eyes and went to hug Inuyasha. "Thank you for bringing my daughter home."

Inuyasha blushed and 'feh'd then looked at Kagome. "I didn't have a choice." He muttered.

Kagome gave him a smile and then cleared her throat looking everyone over. "When I died I met Midoriko." The others looked at her startled. "She said that Inuyasha's wish had an effect we weren't counting on." Inuyasha winced. "She said it wasn't your fault! However…apparently Naraku is here as well."

Miroku clenched his fist and felt the wholeness of his palm. "I have no windtunnel."

"He isn't as powerful yet and his old curses are gone was the impression I got." Kagome said. "Midoriko said…he has become part of someone I know and is hunting me specifically."

"Who?"

Kagome shook her head. "I don't know."

* * *

**_Review Review Review_**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

* * *

Her heels clicked loudly against the cement as she walked down the sidewalk ignoring the stares she got from the people she passed. Her long black hair flowed out behind her with one braid laying along the side of her face to her waist its end tied with a silver band. Her short skirt was no shorter than the thigh length uniforms on the girls that she strode past but her long legs and six-inch heels made it seem indecent and sexier at the same time but her pink shirt was short sleeved and showed inches of skin at the bottom.

"Hey baby!" One boy called out as she passed but she didn't hear or notice. She kept walking her earrings and bracelets jangling loudly though not loud enough for her to hear over the Ipod blaring into her ears. She stopped mid-step and looked up at the red arch at the top of the hill and a shiver passed through her as it did every time she came down this road. As always there was a clench in her heart that called for her to go up to the shrine she knew resided at the top of the hill but she was not one to follow weird feelings. She was deliberate in everything she did.

She shrugged and kept walking not noticing the eyes that stared at her and landed on the black tattoo on her left arm. The person grinned and moved back into the shadows as silently as he had come.

* * *

Kagome felt a crawling along her skin and she opened her eyes trying to see what caused the feeling. She looked at Sango sleeping on the floor, unaware of the feeling of being watching and then turned toward the bedroom window to see a man with black hair and gold eyes gazing at her from the windowsill. For a moment she felt terror at the stranger in her room then she recognized the features even inside the seemingly human face. "Sesshomaru?" She asked aloud causing Sango to wake and leap to her feet.

Sesshomaru stepped further inside the room and gave them a small smile. "It's been a long time."

Kagome ran forward and hugged the tall man who had been a strong ally in the past. "Sesshomaru!" She fingered the long black hair and ran a finger along his cheek. "You look human. What happened?" She asked in a rush. "You gave me a scare for a moment there." She laughed and studied his loose white t-shirt and baggy jeans. It was so modern and yet he wore it so comfortably

"Cosmetics." He said smiling slightly again. "Make-up to hide the marks and dye to change my hair." He looked annoyed for a moment, "Though when I am at home I don't bother."

Sango stuck her head out the door and called to the boys who entered moments later and greeted Sesshomaru on their own. Inuyasha stared at Sesshomaru who held out a hand and clasped his firmly. Inuyasha's eyes opened in surprise.

"It's been 500 years to me little brother, and I admit I have missed our battles." Sesshomaru told him.

Inuyasha blushed slightly pleased. "How are you doing, brother?"

Sesshomaru shrugged. "I am very rich which by many standards means that I am extremely happy. But I am bored mostly."

"No mates?" Miroku asked giving him a man-to-man smirk.

Shippo rolled his eyes from Miroku's shoulder. "Some people never learn."

Sesshomaru gave him a cold look and Miroku looked slightly nervous. "Yes I am mated actually." Miroku relaxed when Sesshomaru made a smile meaning he was joking after a moment. "Kagura, as it turned out, was given a second chance at life. After Naraku died, she came back from the land in between the two worlds. She is my mate."

"Kagura huh? What'd that mangy wolf say about that?" Inuyasha asked leaning against the desk and crossing his arms.

Sesshomaru's old arrogant expression came to his face. "The Lord of the Wolves opinion matters as little to me now as it did before."

"I thought he was only a prince." Shippo piped up.

"He mated with Ayame and became Lord because she was the granddaughter of the Lord." Sesshomaru explained.

"I am glad to hear that." Kagome giggled and Sesshomaru relaxed slightly. "It's good to see you have relaxed a bit Sesshomaru." She confessed.

"The years have been long and I have had to bend in some ways to prevent war between demons and humans." He admitted.

"Kagura probably had something to do with it." Miroku said and when they all looked at him he blushed and muttered something about 'well pleased means happy'.

Sesshomaru chose to ignore the monk and looked at Kagome. "I have brought my car and if you all would like, I have a personal tailor who is willing to measure the boys and make outfits they would like. Kagura has her own for Sango and you." He turned suddenly and shut the window behind him and smirked when something ran into it.

Kagome stood on her bed to peek out over Sesshomaru's shoulder and saw a man with short brown hair rubbing his head below her window. "Is that Kouga?" She asked wide-eyed, Sesshomaru hadn't cut his hair but Kouga had.

"His hair is short." Shippo noted to the others.

"Unfortunately." Sesshomaru said and motioned for them to leave the room.

When they reached the kitchen Kouga had gone to the front door and Mrs. Higurashi had led him inside. She looked startled when they came down with an extra person but Sesshomaru was quickly introduced and they sat around the table as Mrs. Higurashi began to make tea. "I am extremely angry with you mutt face for taking Kagome back to her time and never coming back." Kouga snarled into Inuyasha's face.

Mrs. Higurashi turned and bopped Kouga on the head with a spoon before turning back to the stove. "Maybe you should ask for reasons before you say some things." She said still trying to pretend she hadn't hit him. Shippo giggled to himself.

Kouga had the decency to blush and looked down. "I know the reasons and I am sorry for snarling. It is a normal thing for me to act this way." He looked at Inuyasha and his eyes were serious. "Myoga hadn't left during the battle, he was with Kirara and stayed with her as they watched what happened. Kirara came to live with me after you disappeared." Kouga looked at Sango as Mrs. Higurashi set down their tea. "She knows you didn't mean to leave her behind. At the moment she's at his house," he pointed at Sesshomaru, "because we are spending the weekend there to greet you." Sango grinned and it seemed a burden was lifted from her shoulders.

"Well Kouga I am about to head back to the house." Sesshomaru said downing the last of his tea and bowing to Mrs. Higurashi and taking a paper from his pocket. "This is for you."

Mrs. Higurashi opened the paper confused and her jaw dropped. "Whatever for?!"

"Kagome has been a part of my family for a long time and I believe she will be an official part soon. This is a gift to welcome you into the family." He headed for the door. "When you are ready I will be out in the car." He called to the gang over his shoulder.

Kagome and Inuyasha leapt up and took the paper from her gaping mother and their jaws dropped as well. It was a check for 2 billion yen (over $16 million dollars). Kagome looked at Inuyasha. "Your brother is either stupid, or extremely wealthy." She muttered.

"Extremely wealthy," Kouga said bowing to Mrs. Higurashi. "Once I had hoped to make Kagome my wife but I learned long ago that she would never be mine. However I also contributed to the check. We hope it makes you easier in your mind for a long time to come. If you need anything ever, just let Takashi or Woodward know."

"Woodward?" Kagome asked curious.

"I live in England for part of the year. It's easier there to take an English last name." He admitted shrugging. "Like Sesshomaru, bending is easier than other choices."

Mrs. Higurashi thanked him profusely and went outside to thank Sesshomaru as well while Kagome turned to Inuyasha. "Are you ready to go see the domain of a man who can part with 2 billion yen without flinching?"

Inuyasha looked pained, "I don't know."

Miroku stood and pulled Sango to her feet. "Well…I have to admit I am ready to get new clothing." He touched the robes he had worn for so long. "I can no longer be a monk when I marry and I would like to wear something new for a change."

Sango laughed and patted his shoulder. "Happy that the poverty rule is lifted?"

Miroku rolled his eyes and followed her as she headed outside with Inuyasha and Kagome right behind them.

Mrs. Higurashi hugged them all at the bottom of the steps to the shrine and with tears of gratitude in her eyes bade them goodbye for the weekend. "Oh mom!" Kagome said hugging her mother tightly. "Well be back in two days. Maybe we can talk about remodeling the old place." She grinned. "With four adults and another child living here, we might want to expand the house."

Mrs. Higurashi grinned widely. "I am so happy that you are going to come live at home."

"After having to be gone so often these last few years I want to be with my family for a while." Kagome said squeezing her mother tightly.

Inuyasha hugged Mrs. Higurashi himself and blushed slightly when she whispered something in his ear. He nodded and patted her cheek. "Bye mom." He said quietly to her and went to the large car that Sesshomaru stood beside. It was an American _Excursion _according to Kouga.

Sesshomaru didn't like people staring at him because of his cars. Kouga smiled replying that he had a Plymouth Prowler. The gang except for Kagome had no idea what he was talking about but she seemed suitably impressed enough for him. "Well teach you all about cars and driving and the ways of the modern world." Kouga said sliding into the passenger seat. "Just give it time."

As Sesshomaru started off down the street the four from the past flinched then started talking excitedly about what it felt like to ride in the vehicle. Miroku was staring out the door when he made a strangled noise. "Look at that girl!" He pointed to a girl with long black hair and short clothing.

Sango bonked him on the head. "Pervert stop staring at her!"

Kouga laughed. "People dress in many different ways here."

"No I mean she had a black mark on her shoulder. Was she a demon?" He asked and flushed when Kagome chuckled.

"In my time you can get things called tattoos. They are ink in your skin that last a very long time." She explained. "That's how well know who the person we are looking for is. If they have a cross tattoo."

Miroku subsiding, looking at his hands. _Did the mark look like what I think it did? _He thought to himself.

* * *

**Well there is chapter two. I didn't get too much of a reaction from just the first chapter but what the hey, lets try keeping this going for a bit.**

**If anyone thinks I messed up, yes I know I put the tattoo of the girl on the side facing the street. So the person who saw the tat was on the side of the street not the shrine side.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

* * *

Kagome squealed in shock when she saw the house they were pulling up to an hour later. "This is your house? It's beautiful!" She said leaning up between the front two seats. The house was not a house. It was a mansion, no a castle. It wasn't built like the Japanese castles that Inuyasha had grown up around, it was inspired by the plantations in America. Large white and with many pillars and balconies.

"A little ostentatious isn't it?" Miroku asked looking out the window.

"Kagura loves the balconies and areas where she can feel the wind." Sesshomaru said frowning dangerously at the monk.

He sank back into his seat and leaned toward Sango. "Indulgent isn't he?" He whispered.

"I can still hear you monk." Sesshomaru said and slammed the car to a stop. "Do you want me to make you walk the rest of the way?"

Miroku shook his head. "No I apologize."

Sango chuckled and squeezed Kagome's shoulder. "This will be interesting."

They reached the garage and Kagome leapt out on the run to the front door. "Oh the gardens are gorgeous!" She said peering off the side at the roses and willow trees and cherry trees surrounding the small pond. "This is a beautiful home Sessho!"

"Don't tell him that, he doesn't need the help with his ego." A voice said behind her and Kagome spun to see Kagura lounging in the doorway. "It's nice to see you Kagome." Kagura smiled at her.

Kagome bowed, "It's good to see you too Kagura." While for a long time she had been their enemy she had never really had the desire to fight them after the first time.

"Well come inside. I'll take you all to your rooms." She led the way upstairs. She was wearing a very flow-y blue skirt and white peasant shirt. If she had a tailor, he/she was doing quality type work. On the second floor Kagura stopped and opened the third door. "Kagome this is your room. It has a joint bathroom with Inuyasha's room." She pointed the door down the hall. The one across from Kagome's was given to Sango with the adjoining one belonging to Sango. Kagura handed a key to Sango. "So you can lock your doors."

"Do I have one?" Miroku asked perking up at the thought.

"No." Kagura and Sesshomaru said in unison.

"How come Kagome doesn't need to lock her doors?" Miroku asked pouting.

"He is not likely to try to get into Kagome's room," Sesshomaru said looking down on Miroku.

"At least not without permission." Kagura said strolling away.

Inuyasha and Kagome both turned bright red and looked anywhere but at each other. "So-so Sesshomaru." Kagome stuttered. "Do you and Kagura have any children?"

"We have three children." Sesshomaru admitted heading back down the hall.

"Really? How old are they?" Kagome asked falling him as he headed back downstairs.

"400, 300, and 200." Sesshomaru said.

"You had a kid almost every hundred years?" She asked surprised.

"Yes, two girls and a boy. Kioko, Kosuke, and Yasu." Sesshomaru said pointing at some family pictures on the wall. The two girls both had the black hair of their mother, long locks and big expressive golden eyes. The boy was the baby it seemed and had short white hair with his mothers red eyes, a very striking combination.

"Are they here?" She asked looking around at the house as they went from room to room. It was spacious and beautifully decorated but comfortable, not mausoleum-ish.

"Somewhere I'm sure. Unless the girls are at the colleges and Yasu at the park, they are here." Sesshomaru said.

"No grandchildren?" Sango asked.

"Only Run had any children." He glanced at Sango. "She and Kohaku had ten children and lived to a ripe old age."

Sango closed her eyes against the pain of losing her brother. "Was he happy?"

"Very." Sesshomaru said. "He loved you and missed you but had a very happy life with Rin and their family."

"I'm glad." Sango said softly wiping her eyes.

"Ah there are some of the children." Sesshomaru said looking into the kitchen. "And another friend of yours."

Kagome smiled and Inuyasha groaned. "Is that?" Sango started.

"Totosai!" Miroku jumped. "You're still alive?"

* * *

She was sitting in the park chewing gum and watching the skaters do their tricks. It was a quiet day for her, she'd quit her job two weeks ago and hadn't gotten used to all the free time. One of the skaters slid to a stop in front of her and she looked up into his face. He wore his hair bleached white and spiked up but it looked good on him. "What's up Yasu?"

"You going to come have dinner with me tonight?" He asked sitting beside her and leaning his shoulder against hers.

She chuckled and nudged him back. Yasu was a recent friend, they'd met a few weeks earlier here at the same spot and she visited often to watch him, but they were very close. He was always asking her to go to dinner. "You know I can't."

"Why not? You don't have to go to work and I want you to meet my family. They are going to love you." Yasu said tugging her hair gently. "Please Nyoko?"

She giggled. "Alright, alright! Dinner better be good." She teased standing with him and tugging her jeans down as she straightened.

Yasu touched her gently for a moment and she looked up into his suddenly serious face. "No matter what Nyoko, remember that you are one of my best friends and I'd do anything for you."

Nyoko ran a finger along one of his red slash tattoos on his arm. "I know, and no matter what happens, I better get some damn good food." She laughed as he fought to stay serious and failed. "Come on sexy man, feed me!" She ran toward his Bandit 1250 she heard him laugh behind her and moments later they were flying out of the city and towards Yasu's home.

* * *

**Well how is this coming so far? Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

* * *

One of Sesshomaru's daughter stood up and held out her hand. She looked different than her last picture on the wall. But Kagome had a feeling it was Kioko because of the big smile on her face. Her hair was short in the back but long enough to frame her face in the front. Her ears were pierced three times in one ear and twice in the other. Kagome had to admit she loved her taste in clothing. Her shirt was a blue babydoll and she had black slacks on. Kagome felt almost drab in her green tee and jeans. She confirmed Kagome's guess by holding out her hand. "My name is Kioko! You must be Aunt Kagome and Uncle Inuyasha!" She had a very cheery voice and she winked at Kagome when Inuyasha's jaw dropped. Sango and Miroku introduced themselves quickly then dragged Totosai off to a corner of the room and began whispering with him.

The other daughter stood slower and approached with a dignity that made her seem older than she looked, but probably matched how old she really was. Kosuke wore her hair long and tied back behind her once pierced ears. She held out her hand and greeted us solemnly but her eyes twinkled. "I'm Kosuke. It's a pleasure to meet you at last. I've heard a lot about the both of you." She watched Kioko bounce away with Shippo to the refrigerator. "My sister and I are very different I must admit but both of us grew up on stories about the 'strange priestess from the future' and the 'half-demon with the fang of destruction who used it for good', you two were legendary and only made more so by your disappearance."

Kagome blushed, "A legend? Ridiculous!" She shook her head as the sound of a motorcycle approaching got louder.

"Even after all that I was still called a half-demon?" Inuyasha asked, Kagome looked at him, unsure if he was angry or sad.

"Because of you half-demon no longer became a curse. It was a privilege to have a mortals compassion." Kosuke smiled and looked up at Inuyasha kindly. "At least that was what Shiori taught me."

"Shiori?" Kagome asked startled. "You met Shiori?" Kagome pictured the small child with big purple eyes in a tan face with white hair. She knew they had saved her from her grandfather and that she and her mother had been safe but she didn't know Shiori would seek out other demons.

"Mmm. Myoga brought her and Totosai to Sesshomaru's after you disappeared. She lived with us for a long time, she was one of my teachers." Kosuke smiled fondly remembering the past. "She set off on a journey to see the world about a hundred years ago. She should be coming home anytime now."

"She's still alive?" Inuyasha asked surprised. Though he knew half-demons lived long lives, he hadn't realized that they could live as long as full demons.

"Yes. She sent a postcard a week or so ago saying she was on her way home. Jinenji is with her." Kosuke was definitely Kagura's daughter, Kagome thought, dumping all this information on them without a break.

"Jinenji?" Kagome asked her voice slightly breathless.

"Indeed. With plastic surgery how it is now he looks normal. He simply wore a veil before it was possible." Kosuke stated then turned to her father who was laughing quietly beside them. "Yasu has someone with him."

Sesshomaru looked at everyone in the room and their random hair colors and Inuyasha's ears. "Kagome can you come with me to greet them. Kosuke and Kioko, help change these three into modern clothing."

Kagome found herself being tugged to the front room as the door opened to reveal a tall handsome young man with spikey white hair. He stared at her a moment his eyes wide with shock as a voice behind him laughed.

"Change your mind about bringing me to dinner?" The voice was husky and soft, perfect for a singer.

Yasu stepped aside silently still staring at Kagome. The girl behind him stepped into the doorway and Kagome studied her intrigued. She was…well beautiful didn't even come close to describing this young woman. She had raven black hair flowing like silk to her waist, her only hair decoration a thin braid that lay next to her cheek. She had large green eyes and full lips. She was dressed simply in black slacks and a white ribbed tank that left her arms exposed. She glanced at Yasu who was silently staring and at Kagome and Sesshomaru who were staring at her.

* * *

"Is this a bad time?" Nyoko crossed her arms self-consciously. The tall man was obviously Yasu's father and a definite hotty. The young woman beside him looked as confused as she did but she recovered quickly and came forward holding out her hand.

"My name is Kagome." She smiled at Nyoko and Yasu.

"Nyoko." She replied grasping her hand. She saw Kagome's eyes widen on the tattoo on her arm. "You like tats?"

"I do. You should see Sesshomarus." She said quietly. "Come on inside."

"I'm Sesshomaru's youngest. Yasu." Yasu murmured still staring at Kagome.

Kagome closed the door and Sesshomaru came forward and extended a hand to Nyoko. "I'm Yasu's father Sesshomaru. Come with me into the kitchen won't you?"

Nyoko looked back at the doorway as Yasu wrapped his arms around Kagome. "What is up with him?"

Sesshomaru glanced back and steered her through the door. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you but suffice to say he has been dreaming of meeting her since he was five."

"Five? She doesn't seem that much older than he does." Nyoko looked up at Sesshomaru.

"You'd be surprised." Sesshomaru said smiling, "Ah, Kioko. Is everyone else ready?"

* * *

Yasu wrapped his arms around Kagome who squeaked at the unexpected hug. "Aunt Kagome I have been waiting to meet you since…well forever!"

She returned his hug slightly hesitantly but with no less warmth. "Well thank you. But why?"

"You have always been my idol. I guess you could say I hero-worshipped you growing up." Yasu said leaning back and holding her hands. "Don't let mom tell you I said it but she really revered you. She told me how brave you were, how kind, and generous. I kinda grew up thinking of you as like…how to put it…fairy godmother! You did good for everyone around you."

Kagome blushed bright red. "I don't know about all that but…"

"I'm sorry. I know it's probably uncomfortable to hear me say such things but I mean it. If even half the stories I've heard about you are true, you are a great person."

Kagome looked up into his red eyes and smiled timidly. "Thank you Yasu."

* * *

**Review please. **


	5. Chapter 5

**_Chapter 5_**

* * *

Nyoko sat on a bar stool in the kitchen watching the people talk lively to each other. Sesshomaru had introduced her to Kagura, Yasu's mother and she was surprised how young and beautiful she was. Nyoko could see were Yasu got his eyes in the ruby eyes of his mother. Two girls that Kagura pointed out as being Yasu's sisters walked in a few minutes later and behind them followed three others, two men and one woman. The dark haired young man had purple eyes and a blue muscle shirt over black slacks. He had a red hand print on his cheek when he entered and she realized why when he strode forward his hands reaching too low. The girl with him stopped him with a kick to the knee and strode forward over him. Her jeans hung low on her hips and her pink shirt had a karate bunny on the chest which stated, "Just Try It". "I'm Sango. That is my…fiancé I'm sorry to say, Miroku. Try to keep out of range of him, he has wandering hands." She shook her hand.

"Nyoko, I'm Yasu's friend. He kinda disappeared with another girl a minute ago. I've never been here before so I don't know who's who."

Sango nodded and sat down. "It's my first time here but I've known Sesshomaru and Kagura since before they were a couple. The old man in the corner there too."

"You've known them since before they were a couple? You can't be much older than Yasu and he told me he was the baby!"

Sango was quiet for a moment as she watched Inuyasha try to talk to Kagura while Kioko and Kosuke kept pestering him. She ignored the question and gestured at the silver haired boy with golden eyes. "He's Inuyasha." His red shirt was slightly baggy as were his cargo pants but he didn't seem messy, rather confident. "Sesshomaru's brother."

Inuyasha finally stomped away from the two sisters and sat down beside Sango on the far side away from Kioko and Kosuke. "They are creepy." He muttered at Miroku who had managed to sneak up behind Sango. For a moment they both stared at the two sisters who though had opposite personalities seemed to be on the exact same wavelength anyway and the sisters stared back.

When Kagome and Yasu entered the kitchen everyone's head swiveled to stare. Inuyasha walked over and held out his hand. "You must be Yasu. I am so sorry."

Yasu took his hand and stared confused. "For what?"

Kagome looked at Nyoko who started giggling into her arm when Inuyasha glanced back at the room. "You have those two…sisters." He said ignoring the laughter and glares from said sisters.

Yasu laughed they came up to the table together. Yasutouched the back of Nyoko's hand. "Yeah. I get you man. Everyone, this is Nyoko."

Nyoko stood and grinned at everyone. "There are so many of you I hope you don't get offended if I forget names."

Kioko and Kosuke walked forward. "We're Yasu's sisters, I'm Kioko and this is Kosuke." Kioko held out her hand as did Kosuke.

Nyoko shook their hands noticing the subtle differences in temperament between the two she had thought twins before. "Nice to meet you."

"Sango introduced you to everyone else but this is Kagome." Yasu said pulling Kagome away from Inuyasha briefly.

"I didn't get introduced to the young lady." A voice said from behind them.

Nyoko turned to see a small child behind her with a tail. "It's not Halloween you know cutie."

"What's Halloween?" He asked jumping up onto the man Miroku's shoulder and balancing there.

Kagome drew Nyoko's attention back to her. "There's a lot to talk about. Nyoko, Yasu, would you join Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, Kagura and I in another room?" Kagome's voice turned commanding and Kagura laughed as she led Sesshomaru away.

"You heard her darling, meeting with the grown-ups." Kagura laughed.

"What about me?" Miroku asked standing.

Kagura turned around, "She said grown ups."

Sango laughed and tugged Miroku's hand. "Let them go. Kosuke promised to make me food and I am starved. Kagome will talk to us later. She is just making it a smaller conference."

Kagome nodded and hugged Sango. "You're the best Sango."

Inuyasha trailed out of the room after Sesshomaru and the other three followed.

Nyoko stared at Yasu who was being so…strange with the discovery of these people at his house. "Yasu…what's going on?" She whispered to him before they entered the room.

He looked at her and something flashed in his eyes that she couldn't catch. "No matter what, remember what I said."

_No matter what Nyoko, remember that you are one of my best friends and I'd do anything for you. _Nyoko heard the echo of his words in her head and nodded. "I remember."

"Then lets go." He said tugging her into the room and closing the door gently behind them.

Sesshomaru sat in an arm chair with Kagura perched on the side. Kagome and Inuyasha sat on one of the love seats and left the other for the two of them. "How do we test this?" Kagome asked Sesshomaru.

He shrugged, "I thought you would know." He turned to look at her. "After all Midoriko came to you."

Kagura hit him lightly. "She also came to Yasu. Yasu do you know?"

Yasu looked up at the ceiling for a moment before looking back at Nyoko. "I know how to test it."

"Test what?" She said starting to get a feeling of creepiness down her back. She trusted Yasu, there was something about him that drew her closer and closer to him but she didn't know the others. She was surprised when Yasu leaned forward and kissed her lips gently. He leaned back and his eyes flashed again, this time longer.

"I was right. It's her." Yasu said grinning at his father and leaning closer to Nyoko. Nyoko saw the change in his eyes as the iris turned blue and the whites of his eyes bled white for a moment. He looked back at her and his eyes were normal though he had a wide grin on his face that she'd never seen before.

"Midoriko likes love doesn't she?" Kagura asked studying Nyoko closely.

"Definitely." Kagome muttered and moved to sit beside Nyoko. "Nyoko I am going to tell you something. It's going to sound ridiculous but I swear what I'm telling you is the truth."

Nyoko looked at the eager face of Kagome and then back at the others in the room. Sesshomaru watched with interest, Kagura was openly smiling at her and Inuyasha looked at Kagome only. She turned back to Yasu who raised her hand and kissed it gently. "What do you need to tell me?" She asked Kagome still watching Yasu with her heart fluttering wildly.

* * *

Something like an hour later Nyoko stared at Kagome incredulous. "That is the biggest bullshit I have ever heard."

Kagome laughed taking no offense. "I don't blame you for not believing me. It's fantastical." She reached over and pulled the hat from Inuyasha's head revealing two triangular dog ears. "But it is the truth."

"And how am I supposed to help you?" Nyoko asked looking at Sesshomaru and Kagura. She couldn't bring herself to look at Yasu, he had set out looking for a girl with a cross tattoo, what did that make them?

"I don't know. Yasu does though." Kagome said moving away.

Yasu touched Nyoko's chin and turned her to look at him. "Midoriko told me that the woman I loved would help my family survive this. When I first saw you I felt a strong pull to you. I was astonished by the strength of it. I didn't see your tattoo the first time we met, but I knew, knew you were the one for me."

"You talk about it as if we were destined to meet." Nyoko replied shaking her head and blushing, wanting the others to leave and yet hoping they wouldn't leave them alone.

"Nyoko I am 200 years old! You don't think that it is destiny for me to live this long and only feel this attraction to you?" Yasu asked moving in front of her. "I didn't know how to tell you I fell in love with you. I wanted to get close to you even if it meant only being a friend."

"Then why are you telling me now?" She asked standing abruptly.

"Because I feel like I have to." He replied.

"Well I don't follow my feelings like that. I'll see you later. I need to think." She said and bowed to the others before leaving and slamming the door behind her.

"I think that went well." Inuyasha said quietly.

"How so?" Sesshomaru asked ignoring his son's snarl of rage.

"She didn't laugh and call us crazy." Inuyasha replied wrapping an arm around Kagome.

"Good point." Kagura said and touched Yasu's sleeve lightly. "Maybe you should follow her. It's a long way."

Inuyasha stood. "I'll take her home. She probably won't want to see Yasu right now."

Kagome nodded and Inuyasha darted from the room after the angry girl. "Yasu…give it time." She said placing a hand on his arm when he went to go after Inuyasha. "He'll get her home safely and probably tell her why it's alright to trust us."

"You trust his bluntness?" Kagura asked chuckling.

"I think that as angry as she is, Inuyasha short temper and bluntness are the only thing she'll hear." Kagome replied grinning. "Let's go swimming Yasu. Sesshomaru told me you guys have a pool."

Yasu looked at the smaller woman and the waves of calmness that floated off of her at him and nodded. "Alright."

* * *

Please Review

Next chapter preview, I didn't want you guys to think it would be all talky-talky

_Nyoko was walking towards the park hoping that Yasu was there. She really wanted to talk to him but calling him seemed...childish. She didn't know where he lived but she wanted to see him and going to the park was her best chance. A boy walking in the opposite direction caught her attention when he passed by. A chill went up her spine and she felt like something dead had just touched her. She stood and waited before turning around, he'd noticed nothing but she was scared and it made her more scared to know she had no idea why she was scared in the first place._


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 **_Be prepared for a plot twist cause I am full of them!!! LOL_

* * *

Inuyasha caught up to the dark haired girl seconds after she'd walked out the front door. "Hey! Girl!"

Nyoko spun about pointing a finger at him. "My name is Nyoko."

Inuyasha slid to a stop hearing an echo of Kagome's words so long ago. He nodded. "Nyoko then. I'll take you home."

"How?" She asked crossing her arms. "According to Kagome's story, you don't know how to drive."

Inuyasha shrugged. "I'll carry you. Or I can get that toad dude. I'm sure he can drive." He muttered beneath his breath. "Jaken!" He yelled inside the house.

Nyoko rolled her eyes. "You couldn't carry me that far, no matter what crap you guys are telling me."

Inuyasha scowled at her. "Don't push me."

"Or what?" Nyoko snarled back, blind to everything but the shame she felt. She'd fallen for Yasu, hoped to start a real relationship with him. She was startled when Inuyasha grabbed her arm and threw her into his back. "What are you…" She let out a squeal when he leapt up and began to run, the world flying around her.

"Stop screaming." Inuyasha called to her. "Just tell me where to go."

Nyoko looked up and tried to figure out where they were. It astonished her that they were almost back to the city taking less than half the time to get back then it had to get there. "Left at this next street. Then put me down."

Inuyasha slowed to a stop around the corner and Nyoko slid off on shaking feet. "How much farther?"

"Not far but…I wanted to talk." Nyoko said glancing at the ground.

"Lead the way. And ask all you want." He said adjusting the hat more comfortably on his ears. He could smell her confusion and the faint traces of anger from before. There was no fear in her smell. It had surged when he'd started running but it quickly faded from her.

"Are you really from the past?" Her voice wavered slightly in doubt.

"I am. Samurai were still wandering the land before I came here." Inuyasha stated.

Nyoko's hands clenched in an attempt to keep herself from screaming. "Why me?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "That I don't know. The woman who started all this, Midoriko, loved this world and the people, the creatures in it. My guess is that she chose you because you were to be Yasu's."

"Don't I have a choice in loving him?" Nyoko asked desperately. She lived her life by her own control, she didn't follow little feelings or hunches most of the time and she was quickly losing all control.

"You always have a choice." Inuyasha said quietly. "You can chose to be stupid and ignore it." He raised a hand to stop Nyoko's words when she started to speak. "Or you can chose to accept the love being offered, give it your all without question." He touched his hat gently where it covered his ears lost in thought before looking at her again. "Don't be stupid or you'll die. Our enemy will kill you without hesitation."

Nyoko turned and walked further down the sidewalk. "I chose to live my life the way I want."

"Good for you. Just remember, Yasu said he loved you before he saw your mark. He doesn't seem like a liar to me." Inuyasha said following her his hands tucked into his jean pockets.

Nyoko slowed her steps as they approached her apartment. "What do you want of me?"

"Accept what we tell you and help us." Inuyasha stated starting to head back to Sesshomarus.

Nyoko nodded. "I'll get in touch with you guys later. I…I need to think."

Inuyasha turned back to her. "Don't take too long." He leapt into the air and within seconds was gone from view. Nyoko went inside and shut the outer door. She practically flew up the stairs to her apartment on the sixth floor and slammed the door in an attempt to shut out the rest of the world.

"Nyoko is that you?" An old woman came around the corner and Nyoko went to her side.

"It's me Mrs. Nozama." She followed the old woman into the back room and stared at the sleeping form on the bed. "How was she?"

"Good as gold Nyoko. You certainly are a lucky girl." She said and ran a hand over the downy soft curls.

Nyoko looked at the baby sleeping in the crib beside her bed and wondered if it was the truth or not. "Thank you Mrs. Nozama."

She walked her neighbor to the door and grabbed the baby monitor from her room. She resisted the temptation of throwing herself on her bed and instead went into her shower and began to fill the tub. She would relax in the tub and think. She lit candles around the room trying to stop the trembling of her hands. When she finally sank into the warm water she had cleared her mind enough to think rationally. She couldn't plunge into anything, couldn't just go into this headlong. There were reasons that she was hiding from the world, reasons she didn't let her feelings get in the way. She heard a sigh from the monitor and sat up to drain the tub. She had to protect Mika with her life.

She felt the guilt of her secret creeping in again and decided something right then. She knew she loved Yasu and if he loved her, this was something he had to know. It was why she couldn't just recklessly help him after all.

* * *

The next morning Nyoko left around lunchtime to find Yasu. She had decided to talk to him about Mika and let him decide what he wanted to do. Nyoko was walking towards the park hoping that Yasu was there. She really wanted to talk to him but calling him seemed...childish. She didn't know where he lived but she wanted to see him and going to the park was her best chance. A boy walking in the opposite direction caught her attention when he passed by. A chill went up her spine and she felt like something dead had just touched her. She stood and waited before turning around, he'd noticed nothing but she was scared and it made her more scared to know she had no idea why she was scared in the first place.

She shivered and walked faster wanting to meet Yasu and get back home. She had two weeks left on her unemployment checks and had to a new job before much longer. She wouldn't be able to keep her apartment if she didn't get a new job. She looked up to see the sun glinting off a silver head and sped up as Yasu approached her from the opposite direction. "Yasu!"

Yasu's heart skipped a beat at the greeting from Nyoko and without thinking he scooped her up into a hug. At her stiffening he put her back down. "I'm sorry. I just…well I missed you." He said running a hand through his hair and giving her a grin. He smelled the baby on her again. It confused him as it always did. He could smell that she had never had a child but she continually smelled of a child. He shrugged it off and grabbed her hand. "How are you?"

"I'm good. Can…can you come with me?" She asked her heart in her eyes. She wanted him to come and meet Mika, she wanted him to know…know everything if he was sure that she was the one he wanted.

"Sure Nyoko." He said gripping her hand tightly. "Whatever you want to tell me, it's ok. Take me where you want to go." Nyoko turned and headed back home. Her eyes were wide with worry, her hands sweaty and her heart racing. He could smell the fear in her and he was highly unsure about what it was that was bothering her but…he squeezed her hang tightly, what ever it was that was bothering her, he would be right there with her.

Nyoko opened the door to her apartment and Yasu almost reared back growling at the sound of a baby crying coming from inside the room. She dropped his hand and ran into the room. "Mrs. Nozama?" She disappeared around the corner and Yasu came in and quietly shut the door.

A baby? Yasu was able to smell things amazingly with his father being the strongest dog demon around and his mother a wind witch so how was there a baby in her house that he was unaware of? He had assumed she had a sibling because the scent of the baby was close to hers but she lived by herself the scent of the room told him that. So does that mean that the baby is hers? He could feel his demon starting to bleed out into his mind as his confusion grew when Nyoko entered the room. He spun to look at her and she came forward a baby in her arms.

"Yasu…this is Mika. My sister." Nyoko said quietly showing him the crying sweet faced baby.

His eyes met hers and he felt his demon flash in a wave of protectiveness that he had never felt before. It staggered him to his knees and he sat heavily on the couch. "Your sister?" He opened his arms and took the baby into his arms. Mika looked up at him tears still running from her eyes and he growled comfortingly and she stopped crying instantly.

Nyoko watched Yasu with Mika and a seed of hope grew in her chest. "Oh Yasu…I've been lying to you."

* * *

_Oh snap!! She's been lying to him but about what? REVIEW REVIEW tell me what you think?_

Glimpse of next time:

_The door was wide open, barely hanging on its hinges. Nyoko's eyes widened with fear as she came around the top of the stairs. Mika! She thought and rushed forward into the apartment._


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

* * *

"Lying? About what?" Yasu asked his finger held tightly in the babies fist.

"A few months ago…my parents, Mika, and I were in a car accident. They died immediately. I was touch and go for a few days and spent a month in the hospital recovering. Mika was only two months old, I'd thrown myself over her so she wasn't hurt. I'd just finished school but by the time I was out of the hospital and was able to get Mika from the hospital ward, all the money my parents had went to my hospital bills and their burial. I sold the house get a job and moved in here." Nyoko sank down beside Yasu and ran a finger down Mika's arm. "For all intents and purposes, she is mine. I'll raise her to call me mom and when she's old enough I'll tell her the truth. I want to take care of her, protect her. That's why I can't just rush into helping you. I can't fail her." Nyoko wept softly and held her head. She'd been keeping strong for Mika, she'd known once she left the hospital she wouldn't be able to grieve for the parents she'd loved; she'd have too much to do.

Yasu's silent support was breaking down the walks she'd kept up since the day she'd walked out of the hospital. She cried harshly and heard footsteps enter the room. For a moment there was a murmured converstion then one set of footsteps moved away and then warm arms enveloped her.

Yasu wrapped his arms around Nyoko's shuddering body, his demon leaping up to protect her. He growled softly in his throat and she slowly began to calm down. She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with tears. "Nyoko you are so strong, so beautiful." He ran the pads of his thumbs over her cheeks to wipe away her tears. "You really are amazing."

She blushed and looked away. "Stop lying to me."

Yasu growled again, angrier this time and drew her attention back to him. "I don't lie."

Nyoko gave him a grateful grin and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Thank you Yasu."

He leaned back as she got up to say goodbye to the babysitter and to cuddle Mika before beginning to make her battle. Yasu watched her putter around the small apartment kitchen while balancing her expertly on her hip. He knew Mika had lost her job how did she plan to keep this place without a job, how was she to feed Mika and herself? He'd seen her the days that she'd worked, she was always so tired afterwards, she'd make herself sick if she kept it up. "Nyoko…" He started tentatively approaching her.

Nyoko turned smiling at him and handing Mika to him so she would be able to use both hands. "What's up Yasu?" Her eyes were still slightly swollen but she gave him a sweet smile.

"Well…" He started smiling softly at the gurgling baby he held. "Why don't you move in with me?" He looked up as she froze and rushed ahead to try to explain his comment. "I don't mean my room! We have plenty of space, you can borrow one of our cars and be able to your own person and all but…I don't know how to say this right, I just would love it if you stayed with me…with us. Both you and Mika." He moved closer to her and saw the raging emotions in her eyes. "I am in love with you. I want to start a real relationshop with you but…I understand how much you have at stake." He lifted Mika to eye level and she grinned kicking her feet. "I just want you go be safe and happy."

Nyoko took the now warmed up bottle and tested the temperature before taking Mika and feeding her. She was silent for a long time then looked at Yasu. "Let me think about it alright?"

Yasu nodded, relieved she hadn't just refused outright. "Alright, well…how about I come over tomorrow for dinner? We can talk more about it then?"

Nyoko gave him a smile and kissed Mika's head. "What do you think Mika? Should Yasu come back for dinner tomorrow?" Mikas giggled and grinned and held her hands out to Yasu.

Yasu took Mika and hugged her kissing her cheek. "I guess that's a yes. I'll bring dinner."

Nyoko grinned and kissed his cheek as she took Mika back. "Alright. You know what I like right?"

"Meat, meat, meat right?" Yasu said grinning.

Nyoko grinned. "Damn right. Now get going. I need to finish feeding her and put her to bed." Yasu leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips before leaving. Nyoko locked the door behind him and held Mika gently as she ate.

Moving in with Yasu would be very helpful, getting a place to stay for free, food to eat for free; from what she'd seen of Kagura, Kagura would definitely help with Mika, probably Yasu's sisters too. But…she didn't know if she wanted to help them, Mika needed her to concentrate on her. She couldn't just rush headlong into something that might be dangerous to Mika.

But then again…Yasu and his family were demons. She'd seen the strength of his uncle Inuyasha. There must be some way that they could keep her safe if they did this right? Nyoko looked down at Mika as she yawned widely and smiled softly. She laid Mika gently in her crib and grabbed the baby monitor before closing the door. She left the apartment locking it behind her and went next door to Mrs. Nozama's apartment.

"Mrs. Nozama?" She called out poking her head into the womans room.

"Hello Nyoko dear! Are you doing better?" Mrs. Nozama asked coming around the corner from the back and giving Nyoko a hug.

Nyoko blushed softly. "Yeah. I had a question to put to you…" Nyoko said looking out the window. "That was my friend Yasu, he and I are really close, I'm practically in love with him." She laughed self-consciously. "Well, as you know I lost my job and I can't afford to pay rent for next month. Yasu invited me to move in with his family, he lives in a big house right outside the city. I met his family, they all seem really nice but…do you think I should?"

Mrs. Nozama smiled at her rushed questions and explanations. "Shall I tell you a secret deary? When I met my Ned, I ran away from Japan to follow him to America. I barely know him from Adam but after just two months I knew that he was the one for me. It wasn't until he died that I finally came back here where my sister was. Sometimes you just got to go."

Nyoko stared at the old woman in front of her and realized that for a woman she had known really about as long as she'd known Yasu, the woman really knew her. "Can you watch Mika for a bit? I need to go pick something up for tomorrow."

Mrs. Nozama smiled understandingly and nodded. Nyoko left her in her own apartment with the baby monitor and ran down the stairs and outside. She looked around considering which way to go then darted off toward the right store. She was gone for almost an hour before she found exactly what she was looking for. She picked up the shirt and held it out admiring the soft silver design on the red background. The red matched his eyes and the silver his hair; it was perfect. She turned away and her attention was grabbed by an item on the sale rack. It was a delicate necklace with a pink cherry blossom pendent. She knew she had to get it but was unsure exactly why. She bought it and the shirt and wrapped the necklace carefully before darting back towards home. She reached the bottom of her apartment and could hear Mika crying from the bottom of the stairs.

Her heart leapt into her throat, something was wrong. She darted up and slid to a stop in shock as she stared at her apartment door. The door was wide open, barely hanging on its hinges. Nyoko's eyes widened with fear as she came around the top of the stairs. _Mika! _She thought and rushed forward into the apartment.

A boy was standing in the middle of the room, someone she didn't know. He held Mrs. Nozama by the throat and Mika screamed in her crib. Nyoko launched herself at the stranger breaking his hold on Mrs. Nozama but it brought his attention to her. As he met her eyes she recognized she did know him. That same feeling of death touching her was there again. It was the boy from the road.

"You should back away now." He said his eyes glowing a dark red. "Back away from the demons and priestess." He slapped her hard sending her flying into the bookshelf on the back wall. "If you want to protect yourself and this old woman, not to mention that baby girl." He walked out of the room kicking her back into the shelf as he passed.

Nyoko struggled to her feet and staggered to Mrs. Nozama's side. "Mrs. Nozama! Are you alright?"

The old woman nodded and sat up coughing heavily. "I'll get the baby. You call that young man. I bet he'll want to know about this." She said her voice harsh with pain.

Nyoko watched the strong woman dart toward the back and Mika before picking the phone up from where it had fallen in the attack. Her fingers raced over the buttons and tears began to pour swiftly down her cheeks. This was exactly what she had been fearing.

* * *

_Well the boy has made his second appearance but we still don't know who he is..._

_Next time:_

_Nyoko glared at Kagura. "Say that again."_

_Kagura raised one eyebrow. "You can't leave here."_


	8. Chapter 8

**_Chapter 8_**

* * *

Yasu sat on his bed bouncing his leg impatiently. "So she said she'd answer tomorrow?" Kagome asked from her seat on his desk chair. Inuyasha had left with Sesshomaru and Miroku a little while ago to visit the tailor and Sango had disappeared with Kagura and the girls leaving Kagome essentially by herself. But she didn't mind Yasu had jumped to ask her to hang out with him. He seemed like such a kind boy, in a way more like Inuyasha than Sesshomaru himself, minus the anger management problems.

"Yep! Hey Aunt Kagome! How about a double wedding? Me and Nyoko and you and Inuyasha." Yasu asked grinning as Kagome began to blush.

"Don't you think it's a bit early to talk about marriage?" Kagome asked fanning her overly warm face.

"In our eyes you are already Inuyasha's mate, so it's merely formality to us." Yasu said his grin widening.

"I was talking about you and Nyoko!" Kagome said throwing a book from the desk at him. 

He caught it and placed it down at his side. "Probably but I can dream can't I?" Yasu murmured looking off into space for a moment. His eyes snapped back into focus as his cell phone started ringing. He pulled it out of his pocket and Kagome saw his eyes light up in joy. He was totally in love with the girl. "Nyoko!" He answered and before he opened his mouth Kagome heard Nyoko;s voice come over the phone. The smile was wiped from his mouth instantly. "I'm on my way." He darted from the room and Kagome ran after him.

"Yasu! What's wrong?" Kagome asked having a little problem of keeping up with the demon boy.

"Nyoko was attacked. I'm bringing her here. It's not safe there." Yasu said grabbing his shoes. 

"I'm driving." Kagome said grabbing a set of keys from beside the door and hoped that it was more than a two person car.

"I'm running there. We don't need to drive." His eyes flashed red and Kagome grabbed his arm as he went to open the door.

"Think! If you're bringing her here you need some place to put her stuff and Mika!" Kagome dragged him towards the garage and pushed the unlock button on the key. Sesshomaru's _Excursion _beeped to life and Kagome hopped into the drivers seat. She had taken a week in her time not that long ago to learn to drive as all other teenagers did but she didn't think she'd actually ever need to drive. 

Yasu growled his eyes red and his fangs lengthening but he slid into the passenger seat calmly. "I'll tell you where to go."

"Good." Kagome replied happy he was in control. "We need to be calm when we get there. You don't want to scare her." Kagome touched his hand and pushed some of her calm aura into his skin.

Yasu felt her aura trying to spread calmness through him and he let himself relax and push his demon back into himself. "I know." He was silent for the rest of the ride beside from telling necessary directions. When they arrived, he barely waited long enough for Kagome to turn off the car when he was racing up the stairs. He saw the broken door and heard the baby crying inside the room. "Nyoko!" He burst into the room and suddenly was hit with amazing force.

Kagome was right behind him and saw Nyoko fly into Yasu's arms when he entered. She wandered past the couple and looked around at the damage. An older woman stood a little bit away with a baby tucked carefully in her arms. "I'm Kagome, Yasu's aunt." She touched the baby gently and sent another wave of calmness out of her fingertips. The baby quieted and opened her blue eyes to stare at Kagome. "What happened?" Kagome asked continuing to run her fingers over the baby's head.

"I'm Mrs. Nozama, I was watching Mika while Nyoko was grabbing a few things. I thought I heard something in the hall and as I headed for the door next thing I know, it was off its hinges and some boy was striding in toward me. He grabbed me by the throat and was trying to strangle me. About that time Nyoko came back and shoved him off me. He went after her and made cryptic threats about staying away from demons and a priestess and then left again." The old woman said and looked at Nyoko gently cradled in Yasu's arms. "She is going with you isn't she?"

"Yes. If he came here, she's already in danger. We never wanted this to happen." Kagome said regret lacing her voice. Again any one involved with her was in danger, it was the Shikon Jewel all over again. 

"Of course you didn't. If you did you wouldn't have rushed over here to rescue her. I'll pack her things and mine. I'm not abandoning her now." Mrs. Nozama said gently handing Mika to Kagome.

Kagome smiled and cradled the baby gently. "I'm glad she has such support. You do your own stuff. I'll get Mika's and Nyoko's." She watched the old woman nod and leave then wandered over to Nyoko. She had stepped away from Yasu and wiped her eyes. 

"I'm sorry." Nyoko whispered and accepted Mika from the girl Kagome. Kagome raised an eyebrow at the apology but left knowing that Yasu, like Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, would have choice words to say to her for her unneeded apology.

Yasu gripped Nyoko's shoulder and resisted the urge to shake her since she was holding the baby. "Sorry for what! You don't need to apologize for ANYTHING! If anyone needs to apologize it's me. If I hadn't met you…if I hadn't met you, you wouldn't be in this danger! I couldn't avoid you though." He pulled her closer and hold her loosely in his grip smiling softly at both her and Mika. "I saw you a few days before I actually talked to you the first time, I couldn't get you out of my head. I'm so sorry I brought this on you." He bent slowly, giving her plenty of time to move away if she wished and kissed her forehead gently when she didn't move. 

"Enough of the apologies." Kagome said dragging two suitcases out of the bedroom. "If whoever attacked knew she had met us, he probably knows we're here now. We need to leave before he decides to come back."

"Let him come! I'll kill him." Yasu snarled his eyes bleeding red again. 

"Yes, yes well and good but we want Nyoko _out _of danger." Kagome emphasized and shoved the two suitcases into his arms. "Take them to the car. Inuyasha is on his way here with Sesshomaru to fix the apartment and grab the rest of her things." Kagome said and handed Nyoko the baby bag. "Go get in the car, I'll wait here."

Nyoko stared at Kagome for a second then frowned. "I don't like my life being ordered around." She winced as her bruised cheek pulled but still felt a bit peeved.

Kagome grinned happy to see some spirit back in the bruised girl. "I know. I don't either, but for right now, we just need to make sure that you're safe."

Nyoko looked at the sleeping infant in her arms and nodded. "I need to make sure she is safe." A part of her felt embarrassed that she had thrown herself onto Yasu when he had first entered but it was impossible for her not to.

Kagome touched Nyoko's arm and pointed to the door where Yasu had disappeared from. "Yasu, he wants to help you, more than you know. It's okay to lean into him."

Nyoko looked askance at the woman who was supposedly a priestess. "How do you know how I feel?"

Kagome looked out the window thoughtfully for a moment before meeting Nyoko's eyes. "Everyone feels the same at some point. You're desperate to protect what you love, but you don't want to bring anyone else in to help because then they are in danger as well." Kagome touched the taller girls cheek gently. "If you need someone to talk to, about anything, come to me."

Nyoko nodded and headed out the door to meet Yasu down in the lobby. Behind him stood his father and Inuyasha. "Hi." She murmured shyly.

"Hello Nyoko. Yasu is going to take you and Mrs. Nozama to our house while Inuyasha, Kagome and I finish getting your things and paying for the damage." Sesshomaru said leading her across the street to the car in much the same fashion as a bodyguard would. 

She felt a prickle of unease as the three silver haired men watched the street suspiciously but felt better once she was closed in the car. She looked at Mrs. Nozama in the back and smiled softly. "Well it looks like they mean to keep us safe."

Mrs. Nozama smiled back her eyes landing on the three highly attractive men outside the car talking. "And they're going to look good doing it."

Nyoko laughed and held Mika gently as Yasu got in the car. He gave her a small smile and they headed off towards the house.

When they arrived at the house Kagura stood on the threshold and led then straight upstairs. "This is your room. Yasu is right next door." She said and closed herself and Nyoko in. On the way up Kagura had taken Mika from Nyoko, handed her to Yasu and directed him and Mrs. Nozama into the kitchen. "Mika will have her crib in here or in Yasu's room whichever you prefer and Mrs. Nozama is across the hall from you. Now I want to make one thing perfectly clear to you." Kagura said turning to look at Nyoko whose head was spinning from Kaguras instant control of all the arrangements.

"What?" Nyoko asked holding her head and looking around the beautiful pale blue room. The bed was a king size poster bed with gauzy blue veils distorting her view of the darker blue comforter. The dressers were all pale oak and the walls were calming. The bathroom had a door on the other side that appeared to open into Yasu's bedroom and Nyoko lightly blushing thinking about sharing a bedroom with him. Her wandering thoughts were brought to a screeching halt at something Kagura said. Nyoko glared at Kagura. "Say that again."

Kagura raised one eyebrow. "You can't leave here."

"You think you can just order me to remain here? Like a prisoner?" Nyoko hissed her hands fisting tightly. 

Kagura leaned against the closed bedroom door and crossed her arms. "While I hope my house is better than a common prison, essentially yes, I am ordering you to remain in it."

Nyoko growled and Kagura was stunned at the resemblance of the sound to Yasu's own growl. "You think I'll just sit here and let you rearrange my life?"

Kagome came in through the bathroom in time to hear that remark and glanced at Kagura. "What is going on?"

Nyoko spun to point a finger at Kagome. "You knew! You knew that I would be forbidden to leave this house."

Kagome's eyebrow began to twitch as she fought off her own temper. "Yes I did. Because I am also forbidden to leave the house."

Nyoko lost her steam as she gazed in astonishment at Kagome. "You what?"

"Inuyasha ran back here dropped me off and went back with Yasu to your apartment. I am under house arrest as well." Kagome said pushing the gauze away from the bed and sitting down. "They think they know who attacked you." She held up her hand to still Nyoko's words. "Well, they are pretty sure it was Naraku in whatever form he's taken over. The problem is he is on the loose and in all honesty, without Inuyasha and that woman over there," She said waving to Sango who had snuck up to listen in. Sango smiled nonplussed and wandered into the room, "I wouldn't want to be out on the streets anyway. To be frank, I don't think I could survive an attack from him if he caught me alone."

Sango nodded, "And I don't know if you got a good look at your face but…odds are, if he meets up with you again. He'll kill you to save him trouble later on."

Nyoko moved to the bathroom and stared in the large mirror at her reflection. With dim horror she traced the bruises that covered the left side of her face, her eye was swollen so badly she was amazed she was able to see out of it and a gash on her cheek bone had bleed sluggishly leaving a trail of dried blood down her cheek. She sank to the floor and stared in horror at the three other women. "I…I understand. I'll stay."

* * *

_And here it is finally lol. This chapter had a lot in it but went no where really lol. Next chapter will be better I promise! Next chapter we get to find out why it is Nyoko that is needed to help defeat the new Naraku. Or maybe not...it depends on how evil I want to be...lol REVIEW_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

* * *

Kagome sat on the edge of the bed as Nyoko showered in the bathroom

Kagome sat on the edge of the bed as Nyoko showered in the bathroom. Her fingers plucked at the blue comforter having pushed away the gauzy veil. She was currently watching Sango flopping around on the carpet making…weird noises.

Nyoko entered her bedroom to see a silently laughing Kagome and the other dark haired woman twitching on the floor. "What in the world?" She asked stepping further into the room and leaning against the door frame holding the towel to her frame.

Sango, she remembered the girls name being, sat up, her eyes wide with embarrassment. "I can't help it!" She yelled out after a few seconds of silence. "I've never seen a carpet before! I LOVE IT!"

Nyoko raised an eyebrow. "Never seen carpet?"

Kagome chuckled low in her throat. "I told you remember? She is from the past."

A door slammed in the hallway and a gust of wind had Nyoko shivering and looking behind her. She squeaked bright red and darted into the room slamming the door.

Kagome got up from the bed as Nyoko fled to the walk in closet across the room and peered into the bathroom. Sango leapt up to look over Kagome's shoulder and began to chuckle. Yasu stood in front of them having walked into the bathroom from his room and apparently had been struck dumb by the sight of Nyoko in nothing but a towel. His mouth was hanging open and his face was flushed enough that his cheeks almost matched his eyes. Kagome and Sango watched as another head appeared over Yasu's shoulder and Kagome grinned at her love. "Hey Inuyasha."

Inuyasha nodded in return staring at his nephew. "What happened to him?"

Sango began to laugh at the sputtering coming from the closet. She laughed harder when a balled up sock hit her in the back of the head.

"GET MY CLOTHES!!" Nyoko's voice yelled and Sango grinned moving to rab the 'suitcase' and take it to the closet.

"Yasu walked in on Nyoko in a towel." Kagome explained.

Yasu made a noise in his throat before closing his mouth and swallowing. Inuyasha patted him on the back as he began to cough. "Beautiful!" He murmured when he could talk again.

Nyoko squeaked from the closet as Kagome began to laugh harder. "I'm sorry I'll meet you in the kitchen." Kagome closed the door to the bathroom and headed out of the bedroom still laughing. She met Inuyasha in the hallway and slipped her hand into his as the two of them wandered downstairs.

* * *

Nyoko sat on the floor of her closet going through the suitcases with quick angry movements. Sango stood leaning on the doorjamb watching the pretty girl sort through her clothes. She finally stood with a pair of dark blue 'jeans' and a pretty teal shirt in her hands. Sango turned her back as Nyoko changed before asking the question burning in her mind. "Why did you get that mark?"

"Mark?" Nyoko asked tugging her shirt down. She heard the shower in the bathroom turn on and began to blush anew. She wandered into the bathroom and sat at the vanity table to brush out her hair.

"The thing on your arm." Sango said sitting on the bed gingerly. She was still wary of people in this household, Sesshomaru's two daughters definitely took after their mother in loud personalities, well Kioko did, Kosuke was a bit quieter most of the time.

"Oh. It's called a 'tattoo'. Well I got it because I liked it, it was so beautiful that it drew me in." Nyoko responded touching the black ink gently. She remembered the day so long ago. She'd been wandering the streets and saw the pretty cross in the tattoo window, it looped at all the ends like ivy, connecting to itself over and over but the cross in the center stood firm as the ivy threatened to cover it. To Nyoko it represented how even though her parents deaths had threatened to over take her with grief, she'd managed to remain strong.

She bruised out her long hair quickly and redid her single braid alongside the side of her face. She turned to look at Sango who seemed to be lost in thought and took a moment to study the girl. Sango's hair was about the same length as Nyoko's herself, waist length but it was dark brown rather than her own black. She had her hair cut around her face and deep brown eyes that seemed to be full of fire. She carried herself confidently though there was a sadness that curled around her edges. "Sango?" She heard the shower turn off and Yasu moving around the bathroom and chewed her lip in confusion.

Sango glanced up her mind returning to the present. "Yes Nyoko?"

Nyoko ran her long braid through her fingers as she considered the question she was about to ask. "How did you know you could trust them?" She whispered looking to the floor. Kagome had said that Sango was tricked into fighting them and hating them but became close friends with them.

Sango stared at the teenager a smile spreading across her face. "They didn't kill me." She chuckled at Nyoko's shocked face and leaned back on the bed. The time I came from it wasn't uncommon to kill people who threatened you. I had attacked them, but instead of killing me to get me out of the way, Inuyasha and Kagome healed my injuries and took me in without question. To my way of thinking, it would have been harder for them to trust me than me to trust them." Sango said. "Sometimes you need a leap of faith." She stood and wandered to the door. "We'll catch you when your ready to jump." Sango closed the door behind her and headed downstairs. She chuckled remembering her own words, she really needed sleep; she was going all poetic on people.

* * *

When she entered the kitchen Kagome was cradling a baby in her arms as she joked with the old woman who'd come in with Nyoko. Inuyasha stood with Miroku and Sesshomaru on the far side of the room and Sango wandered over to them.

"Sesshomaru?" Sango began looking up at the tall demon. "Do you happen to have a dojo or something?" She blushed when the three men stared at her. "I don't want to get rusty! Especially if we have to fight Naraku again."

Inuyasha grinned at his long-time friend. "I was thinking the same thing. I wouldn't mind sparing with Yasu though. He seems really strong."

"Kioko and Kosuke are doing a fire dance tonight." Kagura said coming into the room.

Sesshomaru frowned. "Those people need to let go."

Kagura laughed and turned to the others to explain. "Kioko and Kosuke took ballet and martial arts at the same time with teachers who happened to be best friends. Working with them the two teachers made up what they call a 'fire dance'. You'll see it when we go tonight. But Sesshomaru is correct, their teachers either need to start paying my girls or go find new guinea pigs."

Sesshomaru nodded. "Well then I guess Inuyasha you and Miroku need to come with me to find something formal to wear. Kagura you got the girls?"

Kagura nodded. "My tailor is already waiting in my room." She turned to Mrs. Nozama and smiled as Sesshomaru lead the two men away after they kissed their women. "Would you like to come?"

Mrs. Nozama shook her head slowly. "I think tonight I'll stay here and watch Mika. And get to know the old guy over there." She waved toward the window where the others saw Totosai lounging in the hot tub out back with Shippo.

Kagome grinned. "Alright. I'm going to take Mika to Yasu. I'll meet you in your room Kagura."

Kagome knocked on Yasu's door cradling the baby gently in her arms. When the door opened Kagome winked at Yasu's state of undress. "Trying to seduce me now are you?" She chuckled when he flushed. He wore sweat pants and had a towel draped over his shoulders.

"Very funny _Aunty!" _He said causing Kagome to stick her tongue out at him, "What's up?"

"Kagura said that there is a fire dance tonight with your sisters. I'm getting Nyoko and the two of us are getting some clothes for tonight. Mika wanted you."

Yasu grinned taking Mika from Kagome and leaning down to purr into her ear. "She wanted me huh?" He couldn't help the contented purr that slipped up his throat at the thought of the baby wanting him to be in her life. It would just make it easier to be in Nyokos.

"Definitely, she was calling for you." Kagome ran a fingertip along Mika's arm almost wistfully. _I wonder…_

"Soon Kagome." Yasu answered her unspoken question. "Soon you'll have a kid of your own." He gave her a one armed hug around the baby and ushered her from the room before closing the door. He smiled down at the baby in his arms and went to lay down on the bed. "So Mika…can I convince you to call me 'daddy' and Nyoko to call me 'husband'? I guess time will tell…" Yasu muttered closing his eyes as Mika yawned in his arms. She cuddled into his chest and the two of them drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Nyoko followed Kagome down a number of hallways and into a large gorgeous white airy room. She couldn't stop the gasp of amazement that escaped her lips. "It's beautiful!" She said running over to one of the large open balcony doors and gazing outside.

"Thank you. Sesshomaru is very kind to indulge my tastes." Kagura said coming in from another door. A small woman followed her into the room and Sango came behind, each of the three carried bolts of fabric. "Nyoko, Kagome, this is Agatha my seamstress."

"You have your own seamstress?" Nyoko choked out, _just how rich were they?!_

"I'm a demoness Nyoko, what do you expect me to do? Go to the mall?" Kagura asked pulling up two of the bolts and tossing them to Kagome. "These are for your dress."

Kagome looked at the fabric in her hands and grinned. The first color was a silvery white, the second a blood red, both of them, colors that brought her mind immediately to her love. "I love it, can I look at styles?" She asked. She was answered with a thick book being thrown at her. "Geeze stop throwing things already." She muttered opening the book and beginning to search through the designs.

Sango set her two fabrics beside Kagome's and watched over her shoulder looking for a style that appealed to her as well. Her own colors were a dark emerald green and dark violet.

Nyoko was grabbed by Kagura and Agatha and twirled around. For a moment she saw a dizzying amount of colors flash before her eyes before Kagura and Agatha settled on the ones they wanted. She looked down to see a pale pink cloth that reminded her of the necklace she had stashed away in the drawer of her vanity. The other cloth was a delicate silver lace that had patterns of sakura blossoms on them. Her eyes rolled slowly up at Kagura who grinned.

"Sakura pink and silver. Cherry blossoms follow you don't they?"

* * *

_Lol someone likes totosai lol. but all will be revealed next chap...or well at least MORE lol. it fit better in the next chapter. i'll be adding links to my profile when the next chapter comes out so you can see what the dresses will look like. please review!!_


	10. Chapter 10

**_Chapter 10!! At long last._**

**_There are links to the girls' dresses in profile._**

* * *

Yasu stood on the back porch in shock. When he'd been told Kioko and Kosuke had another fire dance he was expecting it to be out at the stage they'd used every time before. Not so. There was a handful of demon bouncers leading people to seats set up in the clearing behind the house. There were red carpet pathways leading from the side gate and the back door to the raised stage surrounded by chairs and when Yasu narrowed his eyes on the stage he could see the pulse of a barrier surrounding it. Dad was taking no chances with Naraku coming during the performance.

Inuyasha and Miroku came out to stand behind me their tuxes fitting perfectly on their frames. Inuyasha had a red vest and tie beneath his jacket while Miroku had dark purple. "Who are all these people?" Inuyasha asked his eyes widening at the groups wandering to their seats.

"Political people and highly influential businessmen." Yasu said quietly smiling as an older man walked past nodding at him. "We invite them to the fire dances to promote good feelings in case we take over a business or need backing. The world is now held by the point of a tongue, not a sword."

The door behind them opened and they turned jaws dropping as their women walked out. Kagome came out first laughing over her shoulder at something Sango was telling her. She had a corset top that was a deep red and a bell skirt that was silvery white. It bounced lightly with each step she took, the gold necklace flashing in the light outside and the red drops in her ears sparkling. She turned to look at Inuyasha and her lips curved up in a smile at his handsome appearance. He came forward and tugged one of the many cascading curls falling from the crown of her head. "Not bad."

Kagome smiled wider knowing that from Inuyasha that was quite the complement. "You look very handsome Inuyasha." She whispered and moved away from the door so that Sango could exit.

Sango stepped out her heels clicking sharply on the ground. Miroku's eyes dropped amazed. Sango wore a close-fit green dress that got slightly looser as it passed her hips. When she turned slightly to look over the grounds he saw that up the sides ran a purple color that also flashed around her feet when she strode forward to him. "Not bad Miroku."

Miroku fell to his knees. "Please can you bear my children…soon?" He asked desperately pulling her hands to his face to lavish kisses on them. When she tugged him back up he saw the necklace and his heart nearly pounded out of his chest. It was invisible against her skin except for the teardrop purple stone resting in the hollow of her throat seductively. "You look astonishing." He brushed a hand through her straightened hair and leaned in to kiss her cheek.

Sango blushed and looked away. _Kagome was right about the dress. _She thought then grinned at the look on Yasu's face as Nyoko entered the scene. She nudged Miroku and Kagome and nodded in their direction.

Yasu had never seen anything so…perfect in his life then Nyoko that exact moment. She came out onto the porch slowly as if nervous and her smile showed she was. Her dress, like the other two had no sleeves but while Kagome's top had a definite slice, Nyoko's light pink stop fell into an almost apron like drip in the front laying gently on top of the silver fabric beneath. Her long hair was pulled back from her face and lay in curls to its full length. Diamonds flashed in the darkness of her curls and a cherry blossom pendent resting above the tantalizing hint of cleavage. "Nyoko…you look so beautiful." Yasu murmured bringing her hand to his lips and kissing gently.

She blushed and grimaced at Kagome who began to laugh. "Your mother put _diamonds _in my hair." She whispered hotly.

"They look beautiful!" He said wrapping her hand in his and beginning to lead them all to their reserved seating.

"_Diamonds _Yasu!" She growled. "I'll lose them!"

"No you won't and they are only stones Nyoko. It's you we don't want to lose." Yasu said tugging her into the barrier.

Nyoko shivered as she felt something slide along her skin. She wanted to complain more but she found herself being set into a seat and finally looked around. Their group sat with Sesshomaru and Kagura on a raised platform beside a circle stage.

For a few minutes there was a lot of chatter as the last few people trailed in and were accompanied to their seats by bouncers dressed in dark red with orange edging. Suddenly the power went out. By the lack of screaming besides for her, Kagome's, and Sango's gasps, Nyoko figured that it was part of the show.

A beat began somewhere behind her, around her, coming from everywhere. Lights began to flicker then when the beat slammed up jets of flame shot up from the stage every few feet revealing two people on the stage. They didn't move as the flames faded to nothing but the next flash they darted apart from each other. It was difficult to tell who was who, they both wore skin tight leotards in white with long trails of fabric in front and behind them. Their hair was braided into a sheath of silver fabric and flashed with each swing as they ran.

"The one with the blue glow is Kioko." Yasu murmured loud enough for them all to hear. Nyoko blinked and then saw the blue glow surrounding the neck of the closer girl while the further girl had a green glow.

Kioko stopped just before the edge of the flames and slid into a split along side the fire her hands reaching out almost begging towards the fire. Kosuke stopped and spun almost violently on her toe. She spun three times before back handspringing toward the center. A loud change in the music had her landing hard on her feet and bringing her hands up into the kempo-fighting-stance.

Across the way Kioko slid her legs together and began to twirl on her toes toward her sister she slid to a stop feet spread and bent down one leg with her back arm in the air.

Suddenly the music changed, it became harder, faster, and the two girls flew at each other. When they collided in the center Kioko front flipped over her sister and landed in a split as Kosuke retaliated by backflipping on the spot and landing once again in front of her sister. She kicked downward and Kioko caught her foot and threw it upward as she surged from the floor and dived forward her hands landing on top of her sisters shoulders. With an almost audible snap she flung her legs into the air so that she was hand standing on her sister's shoulders. Then she flipped off landing back to back with her sister as a loud snap sounded beside Nyoko's head.

She gasped as two flaming pikes landed on the stage within easy reach of them. With slow deliberate movements now that the music had slowed they reached out and grabbed the flaming staffs. They circled back to back twirling the weapons in their hands before leaping apart as the music once again picked up. Almost as quickly they turned back and began to attack each other, fighting mixing with ballet and gymnastics turning into deadly strikes against the other.

Nyoko sat forward on the edge of her seat as the two sisters danced across the stage. It was awe-inspiring, it was beautiful! She felt the fire's delight in the dance as well as the pleasure from the girls. She was lost in the moment enjoying the performance so much she was surprised when it ended.

Kioko launched herself at Kosuke and slammed the pike down at Kosuke's head. When both pikes collided they shattered into sparklers and Kioko and Kosuke disappeared from the stage.

Clapping and cheering filled the yard and the lights came back on to show the two women now sitting on the edge of the stage across from them. They waved to everyone barely winded and showing no sign of sweat. Yasu walked down to his sisters and handed them a microphone. Kioko blew kisses at the audience while Kosuke spoke in her gentle voice. "Thank you all for coming! As always, on the way out drop off a check for the Takashi Charity Foundation."

"The bigger the amount the better!" Kioko shouted into the microphone laughing.

"No portion of the amount goes to funding our events; we pay for it all out of pocket." Kosuke tugged the mic away from her sister. "Please contribute as much as you can and we shall see you all again soon."

The audience began to filter out, most of them swinging by the two performers to tell them how wonderful they did. A few of the older men came to greet Sesshomaru and Nyoko found herself being pushed back away from the group. She waved to Kagome when she looked around for her and moved out of the rush of people. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes and sank into a vacated chair.

She felt a presence beside her and opened her eyes to see Kosuke standing worried beside her. "Everything alright?"

"Oh! Yes! I was just getting out of the way. You were fantastic!" Nyoko gushed standing excitedly.

Kosuke smiled softly and wrapped an arm around Nyoko before leading her back to the others. "Thank you. Maybe one day you would like to perform with us."

"I can't do any of that!" Nyoko squeaked fear at being made a fool of in front of so many influential people swooping over her.

"No need to worry! I won't force you!" Kosuke said laughing gently as Yasu rushed over.

"There you are I got a bit worried when I couldn't find you!" Yasu said pulling Nyoko to his side.

"I'm alright." She laughed following him to the crowd of people around the stage. "Where did the fire come from?"

"There are pipes under the stage. Apparently Kioko knew father would want the performance to be here so she arranged the theatre company to bring the stage here with all the set up." He watched her lean forward to peer at the pipes and smiled indulgently his heart racing when she pursed her lips beautifully. He turned to say something in response to his mothers comments when a startled gasp came from behind him.

Kagome turned at the same time Yasu did and her jaw dropped in astonishment. Nyoko was leaning back from the stage her eyes wide on the object in front of her. Kagome's reaction got everyone else to turn around and suddenly they were all very thankful the guests had left.

Directly in front of Nyoko's face, level with her eyes was a ball of fire, about the size of a fist. It just hovered there burning nothing but not diminishing. Nyoko reached a shaking hand to it ignoring the command to stop from Yasu. She didn't feel afraid, but rather could feel it calling to her, in the depths of the fire she could see slight blue and green glows. She touched it with one finger and the ball unraveled and twirled around her finger like a snake before diving from her hand into the pendent at her neck. It flashed brightly once and then was gone leaving nothing unusual in sight.

"Alright…now can someone tell me what just happened?" Kagome asked leaning against Inuyasha her hand on her head.

* * *

**_I tell you I was trying to decide between fire and necromancy as her power. I decided this was best because it was so unlike anything Naraku had. Kagura already has a necromancy type of thing so..._**

**_Anyway, now you sort of know the reason Nyoko was here. I will explain the glow and the necklace and what not next chapter but here is the start of her power._**

**_REVIEW!_**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

* * *

Silence greeted Kagome's question then Nyoko touched the pendent at her throat. "Umm…I think I can answer the question." She looked up all the eyes watching her and blushed lightly. "But stop staring at me!"

Yasu moved closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulder as she pulled out her braid from the rest of her hair and began to run it through her fingers. "We don't mean to stare Nyoko. It is just that was a bit…unusual."

Nyoko rolled her eyes. "Tell me about it." She could feel her body trembling from the shock of the fire touching her but she could still hear the words whispering in her head from when she'd touched the pendent. "Well…this is going to sound crazy-and I really don't like saying this-but the fire is kind of talking to me. It says that it recognizes me as a fire-tamer and that it is mine to control." She looked up at Sesshomaru. "It says that you know what that means."

Immediately all the eyes turned to gaze at Sesshomaru who raised an eyebrow. "I do." He said nothing else, instead walked away to talk to the demon guards that were still present.

Kagura nodded at the others. "I think that is his way of saying we shouldn't be talking out in the open. Everyone head inside to the grand salon."

She wandered away her two daughters close on her heels. "They have a grand salon?" Kagome squeaked in pleasure. "God this house rocks." She started for the house with Inuyasha holding her steady in her heels. "I'm going to change first. You all probably should too." She called over her shoulder.

Inuyasha shook his head as he led Kagome up to her room. She had spent so long in the feudal era running into a number of completely terrifying and incredible things and was completely amazed by a room. He left her at her door and made his way into his own room. He had just pulled off the jacket when the door between the two rooms opened. Kagome wandered into his room blushing lightly. "Kagome?"

"Um…can you unzip me?" She asked her blush deepening as she turned her back to him.

Inuyasha also began to blush but quickly did as she asked and moved away a bit before he gave into the urge to touch the skin of her back now presented to him. "There you go."

"Thanks." She headed back to the door and paused to look back at him. "You looked very handsome Inuyasha." She repeated her words from earlier. She closed her door behind her and left Inuyasha alone with his own thoughts.

His face was bright red from his blush as he hurriedly stripped off the suit to replace it with black pants that Sesshomaru called cargo pants and a red shirt. _Kagome looked so beautiful…_He thought as he changed remembering her in the beautiful dress. He stepped out into the hall and saw Miroku in similar clothing but he had a fancier button down shirt. "What do you think of these clothes Miroku?"

Miroku shrugged leaning against the wall beside Sango's door. "They are amazingly soft. And have a very wide range of colors." He remarked touching the blue and white striped shirt of his own.

Sango's door opened and she came out in pants similar to Inuyasha's and a green tank top. "I love this era!" She said her eyes wide as she ran her hands over the shirt she was wearing.

Kagome laughed as she exited her own room. A dark pink sundress clung to her curves and hung from her hips to her knees. "I knew you would. We should hurry though."

They headed down to the study meeting up with Kioko on their way and finally they found the grand salon. It was a huge room filled with various couches, arm chairs and tables. The walls were a cheery sky blue and there were a number of large open windows. Kagura looked up as they entered and waved them over. "Sit, sit. You're the last ones here."

Kagome smiled as Kouga waved at them. "Hey! Sesshomaru called me and said that he had news for you all. So I came by. Ayame arrived a few hours ago and she'll be here in a moment." He said smiling back at Kagome.

"It'll be great to see her again." Kagome replied sitting down beside Inuyasha on one of the closer couches and reached out to rest a comforting hand on Nyoko who was close by.

Nyoko looked up as Kagome touched her gently and returned her sweet smile. It was comforting to know that Kagome wasn't going to stop trying to be her friend because of that fire thing. "So…Sesshomaru…can you explain this whole thing to me?"

"Of course." Sesshomaru said and glanced at Miroku.

For a moment Miroku looked blankly back then turned pink. "Sorry." He concentrated and Nyoko gasped as a blue barrier began to encircle them. "It's safe to talk now." He said after the barrier had been completed.

"Many years ago, I came across a human who called herself a fire-tamer. She told me that according to the legend of her people said they were hunted down and slaughtered but she was unsure who had done it or why. She insisted that one day I would meet another fire-tamer who would help me in some task that my family would need to complete." Sesshomaru said. There was a long pause before Inuyasha began to growl.

"That's it?" He asked unhappily. That really told them nothing.

Nyoko touched the pendent softly, "So…out of that not-explanation, does that mean I can control fire?" Her eyes met Sesshomaru's and widened as he nodded. Her eyes were drawn to the candles decorating the fireplace and the small bits of fire that danced there. _I can control fire? What a joke…_ She had never heard of someone actually being able to control fire…Suddenly her mind filled with a loud roar and she screamed before fainting.

* * *

"_Mom! Are you sure you want to go out tonight?" She asked her finger wrapped tightly in her little sisters fist._

"_Yes darling. Your father and I promised to go visit his boss. We are hoping that it will get him the promotion that we have been expecting." Her mother said smiling kindly down at her daughter. "You are so accomplished and your sister so young that we hope he'll bend to your combined cuteness!" _

_She rolled her eyes and picked her sister up gently and handed her to her mother. "Alright, alright."_

"_My three lovely ladies ready to go?" Her fathers voice asked as he entered the room. _

"_Yes dear." Her mother responded leaning up to kiss his cheek. "We are all ready to go."_

_They filed out into the car and she wrapped an arm around the baby seat where her little sister slept quietly. She hated going out to visit her parents co-workers, it was always so boring. But…she ran a finger along her little sisters arm, she hoped that she could alleviate her boredom by being able to take care of Mika while the 'adults' talked._

_It was then that the world stopped. There was the sound of screeching breaks, her mother screaming, her father cursing. The world was spinning outside the glass of the car windows and then it all slammed to a stop. She threw herself over Nyoko as the windows exploded and she could feel them puncturing into her arms, her back and sides but she didn't budge and didn't scream so close to her baby sisters head. _Please be safe Mika! _She prayed over and over. She could no longer hear her parents screaming, no more yelling from inside the car. But she could smell the coppery scent of blood, the gas leaking from the car and suddenly there was a silent explosion. _

_She looked up briefly and stared in wonder as the fire from the explosion ate at everything around her. The smell of burning flesh and hair, plastic and nylon, filled the air around her but the fire didn't approach her, she could hear it saying…things, not quite words but definite feelings but she wasn't sure what it was saying. She gently unbuckled her seat belt and Mika's continuing to stare in awe at the destructively happy fire above her then gulped as her eyes began to blur from blood loss. _I must get Mika out of the car,_ she though and reached out to touch the handle of the car door and pushed it open slowly. The fire leapt out of the inside and towards the top of the car reaching into the air screaming in joy as she threw herself and the baby nestled in her arms from the burning wreckage. _

_There were lights surrounding her, flashing blue and red but all she could see was the fire reflected in the babies eyes and the blood that dripped from her back to run down the babies cheek. "Mika…"_

* * *

"Nyoko!" Yasu caught her as she fell and held her as the others in the room leapt to their feet. "What happened to her?" He asked looking up at his father.

"I think she just fainted." Kagome said leaning forward and resting a hand on Nyoko's forehead. She brushed her finger tips along the necklace and pulled back sharply at the burning of her fingers. "Ouch! That hurt." Kagome said sticking her fingers into her mouth.

Inuyasha pulled her hand down to look at it then glanced at the pendent. "It burned you but it isn't burning her. Maybe we should see if it burns anyone else…" He murmured and touched the necklace. He was greeted with a burning as well. Everyone tried to touch it but only Yasu was able to touch it without a serious burn resulting. He got a bit singed but it was the least damaging of the touches.

Yasu held Nyoko tightly, wondering what had happened to her and why it was that she had screamed before fainting. He rested his hand again against the necklace and pressed some of his demon aura into it trying to send a message into the fire that had moved into it, that he wanted her back. He felt an uncoiling beneath his hand and then…her eyes opened revealing two circles in her iris's. One of pink and one of orange. "Nyoko?"

"I'm…alright." She said and slowly sat up. She looked up at the concerned faces around her and gave a weak smile. "Really I'm fine." Her hand touched the cool metal around of the pendent and her eyes slid closed as she began to drift to sleep. _I remember…_

**Alright...at the end of this I am not so happy with it but it had a lot of what I wanted to say. Let me explain non-story fashion down here. Sesshomaru met another fire-tamer a few hundred years back who forsaw that he would meet Nyoko and she would be a good part of the team to help the destruction of the newly born Naraku. Blah blah blah, in the constant unsure touching of the pendent Nyoko was sucked into a memory of the car accident that killed her parents. She had forgotten, in the haze of drugs of the hospital, that while she was in the car, the fire didn't hurt her and she could feel how it felt. **

**Things will be moving much faster now that this has been revealed. And remember! The title is Hunted. There will be a reason for this later. Be excited my duckies. **

* * *


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**Thanks for my reviews! I can admit I love them so much when I get a lot I want to write faster lol! Also New poll in my profile. And _Dawn In Feudal Japan _will be undergoing edits so if you are interested go read and enjoy!**

* * *

Nyoko lay curled in a tight ball on her bed not opening her eyes as she listened to the voices around her. She wanted to uncurl and move but she…she couldn't.

"Will she be alright?" Inuyasha's voice drifted to her ears.

"Yes." Kagome said and Nyoko could feel her hand running down her back. "She's just tired. From what I was able to tell, the pendent is acting as a sort of communication device between her powers and her mind. Kind of like the Shikon."

Nyoko thought for a moment before remembering that the Shikon was a jewel that granted a lot of power to whoever wished upon it. "Sort of." She mumbled into her knees.

Kagome's hand paused and Nyoko felt another hand touch her on top of her head. "Nyoko love?" Yasu's voice came from right by her head. It was then she felt the heat of a body that she was curled against. She looked up slowly to see Yasu peering down concerned at her. "Are you feeling better?"

Nyoko nodded and moved to sit up. Yasu helped but pulled her so that her back was supported by his chest. "Yasu…" She murmured quietly. "Can someone bring Mika to me? I…I want her right now."

Inuyasha disappeared out of the room and returned moments later with the infant held delicately in his hands. "Here. She started crying when you collapsed apparently. She stopped about the same time you woke up." He handed the infant to Nyoko who held her tightly, feeling the same calm aura from her sister that she always had.

"What I meant by sort of…was that the fire is not a part of me. I guess you could say it is it's own spirit that just happens to really like me." Nyoko chuckled at the pleasure she felt pulse from the necklace. "It showed me, in the only way that it knew how, that I have always had some control of fire. When…when we were in the accident, the fire stayed away from us. It made me go back into my memory. I was in the car when we got in the accident. I heard the engine explode again and…" Her eyes went a bit unfocused as Inuyasha, Kagome, and Yasu stared at her steadily waiting for her to continue. "I could feel the fire's joy at being able to feast. There was no evil at the lives and destruction, just joy at being. But it stayed away from me and Mika. I was able to throw us from the car and it continued to eat, but it never once came close to us." She said running a hand along Mika's back.

Yasu kissed the side of her head gently noticing her brief shiver. "I'm happy you were safe."

Nyoko chuckled and leaned to pulling her shirt up to reveal her side and part of her back. They all bit back sounds of pity at the scars that crisscrossed her skin. "The glass in the automobile, unfortunately, doesn't respond to the same power." She held Nyoko tightly to her and smelled her hair. It never failed to calm her, the delicate scent of the baby's body. She laid Mika beside her on the bed and her head whipped to Inuyasha at his next words.

"The necklace didn't burn her." Inuyasha said studying the baby that Nyoko had just set down.

"Burn? Necklace?" Nyoko asked her eyes wide and panicked. "There was a chance the necklace would burn the baby and you let me hold her up to it?" She chucked a pillow at Inuyasha and looked over Mika carefully.

Yasu laughed as Inuyasha dodged and turned Nyoko to look at him with a finger on her chin. "We were sure it wouldn't burn her Nyoko." He let his finger trail down her throat to rest on the necklace himself. It was pleasantly warm and he could have sworn he felt something like a purr come from the entity inside the crystal. "It won't burn me, so we were sure she would be alright."

Nyoko could definitely feel the purr from the necklace and her eyes widened. Blushing she looked away. "So…Kagome! Who did it burn?" She asked in a desperate plea for subject changing.

"Everyone but Yasu and Mika. It wasn't as bad a burn on me and Inuyasha as some of the others." Kagome answered sitting on the floor and giving Mika a finger to grab and play with. "I would suggest that the fire is showing who it _knows _you trust. For example: you know me but you haven't for very long. I would not be the first one you were so call if something happened. But I might be one of the first judging by the degree." Kagome grinned as the baby gurgled at her. Her eyes traveled to Inuyasha and she felt her face heat up at something she wasn't able to name in his gaze.

Inuyasha looked away after a moment and motioned to Yasu to step out into the hall with him. Seeing Kagome holding and playing with a baby had made his mind fill with images of Kagome playing with _his _babies and he was startled by how much he wanted that. Yasu followed him after disentangling himself from Nyoko and followed him down the hall to his fathers room. "Sesshomaru wanted us to get him when she was awake." Inuyasha murmured distractedly. Yasu nodded and said nothing lost in his own thoughts.

* * *

"Why did they leave?" Nyoko asked looking at the now closed bedroom door. Her mind was racing a thousand miles a minute, it was very hard to stick to one subject. Her mind bounced from the memory of the fire, to the fire in her necklace, to Kagome and Inuyasha's shared look, to Yasu being able to touch the fire. Her eyes settled finally on a brace of candles across the room. She could vaguely hear Kagome telling her that Sesshomaru had wanted them to let him know she was awake but she didn't respond when Kagome trailed off. She could feel something tickling inside of her, she would have said clawing but it wasn't painful…just…determined. She narrowed her eyes on the candles and flicked a finger at it letting some of the pressure shoot from her finger.

Her eyes flew open when a burst of flame shot from her finger to slam into the candles and half melt them instantly. The table cloth beneath caught on fire and Kagome was quick to throw the glass of water she'd brought up for Nyoko onto the dresser and the two of them stared in shock as the fire finally smoldered out. "Remind me not to point at someone again." Nyoko said in the sudden silence. Mika started giggling as Kagome burst out laughing.

* * *

"She's awake?" Sesshomaru asked looking up at his son and brother as they walked into his office.

"Yes, and we were right about Mika. She held the baby and there was no burn." Inuyasha said leaning against the back of one of the chairs.

"She said that the fire tried to show her that her ability to control fire had always been there. It pulled her into the memory of the accident that killed her parents and she remembered the fire staying away from her." Yasu said. He opened his mouth to say more when a _whoomp _sound came from the direction of Nyoko's room. The three of them were out of the door within a breath as they began to smell smoke as well. They gazed in surprise at the two laughing women and one giggling baby. When the girls saw the three of them in the doorway ready to fight, they only began to laugh harder.

"What happened?" Yasu asked looking at the scorched wall and burned cloth.

Sesshomaru studied it and then peered at Nyoko. "Did you do this?" He asked his eyes almost smiling. If she had learned some type of control already, then it boded well that she would learn quickly.

Nyoko nodded still giggling. "I was kind zoned out and…pushed some kind of pressure out through my finger. It made the candle explode. I used too much."

"The fact that you can use any of it so quickly is amazing in itself." Yasu said coming over to kiss her cheek. Nyoko blushed and Kagome giggled picking Mika up in her arms and waving.

"I'll go get her some food." Kagome said and headed downstairs. She could hear talking in the room behind her and smiled. Nyoko was still slightly worried but you could see she was beginning to trust them. She hadn't fought Yasu's grip or hit him for his loving gestures. She'd tried to use her powers with Kagome there and whether she recognized it or not, that showed Kagome she was trusted to be able to help if something were to go wrong.

Kagome set Mika in the baby swing Kagura had put in the kitchen as she dug in the refrigerator for milk. She moved to the stove and started to warm up the bottle loving the simple yet life sustaining activities needed to feed a child. She let her mind shift to thoughts of her own future with Inuyasha. With a sigh she turned and stopped in shock almost dropping the bottle as she looked out the back door across the room from her.

A man was standing there, one she knew very well. He was leaning against the frame of the door but didn't enter the room. Kagome saw the shimmer and realized there was a barrier keeping him out but he'd managed to open the door without her hearing. She stared at him in shock for a moment. "What do you want?" She finally asked realizing that if she stayed out of arms length she should be fine.

"Oh Kagome…I want the same thing I've always wanted." The man's voice was slightly husky but the tone was one she recognized.

Tears sprang to her eyes and began to trail down her cheek. "I'm so sorry." She a pinch of sadness in her heart as she met eyes that were no longer holding the kindness she'd always seen in them. "Hojo, I am so sorry."

**Please review! Did the ending make sense to you all? If not it will be explained more fully in the next chapter I promise!! Did it surprise anyone? LOL tata!**


	13. Chapter 13

**(A/N: Okay duckies...the chapter ended up different than I had intended so there will be another update rather quickly this time...promises promises right? lol but I will try my hardest!! Anyway on with the chap)**

* * *

"Sorry?" Hojo asked straightening and pushing his hands into the barrier keeping him from entering. "What is there to be sorry for? I feel better than I ever have before."

"Naraku you bastard! You would take over a friend of mine." Kagome growled and reached out to grab one of the knives from the cutting board.

"Of course Kagome," The Naraku possessed boy replied. "You know me best. I'm surprised you didn't look for it earlier." He leaned forward his eyes ringed with red. "I want you just as this boy does. Did you know he had such naughty thoughts about you?" He laughed and licked his lips. "I _like_ this time with so many toys and such luscious knowledge. The boys desire for you and frustration at your constant dismissal of him, it was easy for me to conquer his mind. I don't know how I ended up here after you killed me, but I am going to enjoy this time immensely."

Kagome growled and threw the knife coated in her priestess powers at the demon on the other side of the door. It thunked into the wood beside him and strengthened the barrier giving him a large zap. Kagome felt the flare of the barrier skim along the house and knew within moments the room would be full of others. "What are you here for Naraku?"

He laughed and began to walk away from the door. "I am going to kill you foolish girl, like I tried to so many years ago." His voice echoed long after he and his aura were gone from the mansion.

Inuyasha and Sesshomaru burst into the room seconds later and found Kagome at the crib bent over with Mika in her arms as tears ran down her cheeks. They looked around the room to find out what had set off the barrier and Sesshomaru noticed the kitchen knife in the wall. "Kagome?" Inuyasha asked moving closer to Kagome.

"Naraku is in Hojo." She murmured running her hands over Mika's soft hair and looking at nothing in particular. "He invaded Hojo threw his desire for me and then took over."

Inuyasha snarled. "Hojo desired you?"

Kagome looked at him. "Inuyasha I know you don't mean it this way, but when you say it like that, you make it sound like I am not worth desiring." Inuyasha's jaw dropped and Yasu and Nyoko walked into the room with Kagura and Sango close behind. They could hear more people coming as well. "Everyone to the sitting room!" Kagome said loudly and led the way handing Mika to her sister.

When the room was filled to capacity including the red-headed Ayame Kagome began to describe her meeting with Naraku. "And he says that he tends to enjoy this time and kill me again." She concluded.

"Over my dead body!" Inuyasha snarled his eyes flickering red. A number of other growls agreed with that statement from the dogs and wolves. A nod from the humans and Shippo made Kagome smile.

"It won't come to that. We defeated him once, we can do it again." Kagome said grinning. She hoped that no one thought too hard…

"But didn't you die?" Ayame pointed out.

Nyoko swirled to look at Kagome who frowned. "Yes I did. But this time, there are a lot more of us to help out. And Naraku won't catch us off guard." Kagome pointed out. She glared at Ayame for pointing out that she had died last time. Not that anyone could forget but if it wasn't mentioned at least they could pretend.

Nyoko looked down into the face beneath her and felt Yasu place a hand on her knee. She glanced at him and saw his reassuring smile. "Nothing will happen to you." He whispered in her ear before turning to Kagome.

"Don't worry auntie! Inuyasha and I will keep you safe." Yasu smirked.

"What are we? Chopped liver?" Kioke and Kosuke asked crossing their arms.

Yasu nodded sagely. "Quite possibly…" He laughed as they threw pillows at him.

Sesshomaru stood slowly and everyone's eyes turned to him. "I believe we should go to the fortress." Silence greeted his words and he continued. "We are still pretty close to the city here. If we are to battle him again it would be best to get as far from the city as possible."

Kagome shot to her feet and began to run for the door. For a moment no one moved then they began to chase her. "Kagome! Where are you going?" Sango shouted skidding around a corner.

"Hojo knows my family and where they live!" Kagome said and burst out the front door. She was thrown over Inuyasha's shoulder and onto his back.

"We'll all go Kagome. Hang on!" He said and began to run.

Sesshomaru went with them and Yasu kissed Nyoko's forehead before pressing her into his mothers arms. "Keep her safe. We'll be back." Yasu smiled and took off after his uncle and father with Kouga and Ayame close behind him.

Nyoko felt her heart clench in fear. "He attacked me and Ms. Nozoma. He'll definitely go after Kagome's family won't he?"

Kagura nodded slowly then turned to her daughters. "Get your father's sword and go after them!" Her voice was tight with fear as the two girls ran to do as they were told and Kagura pulled Nyoko inside along with Miroku, Sango, and Shippo.

They stood by the front windows watching as the two girls ran out, Kioko holding a blade along her back. "Do we think it's come to that?" Miroku asked quietly looking at Kagura his eyes dark with fear.

Kagura was quiet for a moment looking down at the baby in Nyoko's arms. "If he knew she was here…I bet he already went to her family."

Nyoko looked at the stricken faces of those around her and felt her heartbeat skip. They were talking as if Kagomes' family was dead…they thought this Naraku guy had killed them already…what if it was true? Oh god, what if he had killed Kagome's family…

_I'll kill him. _Nyoko thought her eyes hardening as the pendent around her throat brightened considerably with her determination. _If that bastard would kill Kagome's family just for being her family he won't stop at that. He'll go after everyone we know and love. Mika and Ms. Nozoma and Yasu and Kagome and Inuyasha and everyone are in danger…and I won't let anything happen to them._

* * *

Kagome stood in the courtyard of her home and cried into Inuyasha's jacket as Yasu and Sesshomaru went through her house. She could smell the blood from out there and wanted desperately to go to her family but the Inu's had refused. Kioko and Kosuke stood a few feet away whispering to themselves. Kouga and Ayame stood on the roof of the house sniffing the air and testing scents. A moment later Yasu exited the house and came to wrap his arms around Kagome.

"Are they…could he?" Kagome asked clutching at his shirt.

"Yes, he was able to raise them." Yasu said smiling down at her. "They asked me not to tell you how they died but I think you should know." He turned serious for a moment and clasped her hands. "He slit their throats with the kitchen knife."

Kagome paused in her sobs and began to smile. Inuyasha jumped a bit and even the sisters looked at her askance but Yasu knew what her thoughts were, they had been his and his fathers. "If he had to use a kitchen knife…"

"He can't use any demonic attacks." Inuyasha finished catching up to their thoughts.

"Not necessarily." Kouga said jumping down to join the conversation. "They are coming out with a few bags. Sesshomaru wants me and Ayame to come back tomorrow and gather the rest of their belongings. Jaken will take care of clean up but until Naraku is dead, the house will remain empty."

"What do you mean not necessarily?" Inuyasha asked as Mrs. Higurashi walked out the front door. Kagome rushed to her mother and sobbed holding her close.

"Well just because he didn't use any demonic powers doesn't mean he doesn't have any." Kouga said and lifted one of the bags handed to him over his shoulder. "He could be hiding his powers. He would know we'd come here."

"Stop it grandpa and behave." Kagome administered when her grandfather started to pull out a sutra at the red-eyed boy in front of him.

"He's adorable!" Kioko squealed coming over and wrapping her arms around the aged man. He sputtered blushing in her arms. "I am taking this one." She picked him up bridal style, slipped another bag on her shoulder and began to fly back to their house.

Silence reigned behind her until Sota began to laugh hysterically. "That was awesome!" He chuckled from his spot around Kagome's waist. While he'd never admit it, when Hojo had come and began attacking them he'd never been more afraid in his life. He'd known that Kagome probably wouldn't be back to save him but…he was glad because she was safe. When he'd opened his eyes to see Inuyasha's brother Sesshomaru above him, he'd begun to cry from joy. He was so happy to be able to see his sister and family again.

"I'll carry you little man." The younger version of Sesshomaru said smiling down at him. "I'm your…cousin, Yasu." He grinned at Kagome who stuck her tongue out at him and swiped another tear away. "Once Kagome mates with Inuyasha, she'll be my dear sweet old Auntie." Sota laughed as he wandered over to grab his bag with Yasu.

"I'll 'dear sweet old' you." Kagome muttered tugging Yasu's hair playfully. She wandered over to her mother and looked up at her sadly. "I am so sorry mom. I didn't…I didn't know he'd know who you were."

Mrs. Higurashi smiled at her beloved daughter and patted her cheek. "Kagome if you had thought there was any danger here, you wouldn't have left. I know you honey. Now, Sesshomaru has said we are to go to his home for the time being. Don't you think it's time we caught up to your grandfather?"

Kagome smiled through her tears and nodded. She was so lucky to have a family like hers. Who else could say their mother was brought back from the dead and acted as if nothing had happened?

**(A/N: Like I said...this wasn't intended. I hadn't intended her family to be involved at all but I was like...Hojo knew her family and Naraku would totally go after them. However now there are lots of people just like my frickin Hearts Entwined story on and it might get...complicated. I will end up doing time frames from different views so be prepared for lots of things to happen in short amounts of time. Let me know how you like!!)**

**REVIEW!!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Like I said, quick update on this one. I hope this chapter is nice. I have a bit of a cliffy buuuuuuttttt I will be updating **_**Bleed **_**next so I needed you guys to tell me to hurry up and make me happy lol. Enjoy**

* * *

Two long days later everyone was safely removed to Sesshomaru's Fortress. With the exception of Kioko and Kosuke who stayed behind with Jaken to finish the repair of the Shrine. They were expected to be there by the end of the week and had laughed hysterically when Kagome expressed worry about them.

"Naraku wouldn't be able to catch us. We promise we will grab the toad and run aunty." Kioko laughed softly.

"It will be fine Aunty." Kosuke added.

"Can you guys stop calling me that?" Kagome had groaned hugging the two of them. She'd sighed exasperated when they'd denied her request in sync. Almost immediately upon arrival, Sota and Shippo disappeared into Yasu's Game Room, dragging him and Inuyasha in behind them for some _Mortal Combat_ marathons. Ms. Nozama, Kagome's Grandfather, and Totosai had locked themselves into one of the far wings and though no one went to disturb them, curiosity was high about their activities. Kagome's mother had fallen in love with Kagura and the two of them were often found having long discussions about raising children and difficult men.

Two days later things were finally calm. Kagome sat on the edge of the dojo her arm around Nyoko as the two of them watched Inuyasha and Sesshomaru spar. Inuyasha had managed to get away from the two young gamers by throwing Kouga to their mercy but Yasu hadn't been so lucky. Kagome watched them a small smile on her face as Sesshomaru worked on Inuyasha's stance.

"Come on Inuyasha! Keep your sword up." Sesshomaru reprimanded landing a hit on Inuyasha's shoulder with his bokken.

"Damn it!" Inuyasha muttered and thrust back at his brother almost connecting.

"Kagome?" Nyoko yawned leaning onto her newfound sisters shoulder.

"Yes?" Kagome asked reaching up a hand and catching the piece of wood that flew towards the two of them. Calmly she set it on the floor as the two brothers tossed their broken swords away for new ones.

"Why are they using swords? I mean…shouldn't Inuyasha be learning how to shoot?" Nyoko looked at the pistols in the cabinet across the large room and then at the dozens of swords ranging the room.

"No." Three voices said simultaneously. Nyoko blinked and looked at the two fighting men surprised they were paying attention to them and the third voice from Yasu who'd entered the room from another door.

"No." Kagome laughed and waved at Yasu. She grabbed his hand and let him help her to her feet and walked around the two men knowing neither would let her get hit while they fought. She grabbed the sword Inuyasha had been carrying and another off the wall.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eye as Kagome picked up his sword. "Kagome what are you doing?"

"Showing something to Nyoko." Kagome said as sweat began to bead on her forehead. She approached the other girl and set down both swords. "You see Nyoko, these blades are made from dog fangs. The Tetsusaiga, was originally a sword made by Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's fathers fang." She smiled at Yasu as he blocked another piece of wood flying in their direction. "Thank you. It broke during our adventures and one of Inuyasha's fangs was used to fix it. Bakusaiga, is a sword of Sesshomaru's." Kagome paused thinking for a moment, "Well I don't know if it was made from a fang…it just kind of appeared." She waved her hands in front of her face. "Anyway, Naraku as a demon, wouldn't be able to be injured by human weapons. A demon can't be injured by a human with no spiritual, demonic, or I'd guess fire abilities. For instance, I could kill Sesshomaru, but Sango without her demonic weapons could not."

"Correct." Sesshomaru said coming over unfazed as Inuyasha limped over panting. "A demon is unable to be hurt by mere metal. While we do not know that Naraku possesses any of his former demonic ability, a sword is the best weapon for us. Not only are we all proficient in its use," Sesshomaru paused and raked a gaze over his brother, "Most of us anyway." He ignored the growl directed at him from Inuyasha to continue. "but it isn't mere metal, our demonic abilities are in the blades and therefore, can kill anyone, not just Naraku."

"Wow Fluffy. You said a whole paragraph." Inuyasha muttered to himself and went to grab the hilt of his sword.

Kagome slapped his hand gently. "Wait a second I want to demonstrate." She picked up the tetsusaiga and unsheathed it.

Nyoko looked at the rusty blade and raised an eyebrow. "Will I get attacked if I say it looks like crap?"

The others chuckled and Kagome shook her head. Closing her eyes she pushed some of her powers into the blade. It transformed into a large version and Kagome dropped it yelping. Inuyasha caught it before it hit the ground with one hand and Kagome with his other. "What the hell was that!"

Kagome scratched the back of her head. "I wanted to show that powers have an effect on others. I didn't think it would bite me!" She crossed her arms and huffed.

Sesshomaru bent down and carefully moved Bakusaiga far away from Kagome. "Don't even think about trying that with my sword. You likely will lose your hand."

Kagome nodded sheepish. "Alright, alright I didn't think it through." She smiled ruefully at Nyoko. "My point was that I can do damage cause of my priestess powers and the swords do their own."

"Exactly where we come in." Ms. Nozama said throwing the door open wide.

"Grandpa? Ms. Nozama? Totosai? What are you doing here?"

"Ms. Nozama?" Nyoko asked standing with the others.

"Hello dear." Ms. Nozama said smiling at her. "You see, we three old people." She frowned at the snickers from the trio of while haired dogs. "Just because you might have a few centuries on me doesn't mean I am not an old person dogs." She ignored their shocked gazes, four extreme and one slight, "Yes I know what you are. And I know what Nyoko is."

Nyoko jumped her hand flying to the pendent on her throat. "What?"

"I am not a completely gone old lady yet." Ms. Nozama frowned, "I'm not even his age." She muttered pushing Grandpa slightly. "Now, us old folks have made something for you Nyoko."

"Something for Nyoko?" Kagome asked looking at her grandpa. "You haven't been giving them your useless sutra's have you grandpa?"

"They aren't useless!!" Grandpa protested and pointed angrily at his granddaughter. "And when are you going to marry that young man and give me great grandchildren!"

Kagome started sputtering and Inuyasha turned bright red. When she opened her mouth to argue back Totosai hit her grandfather. "Enough! Nyoko we have made you this." He held out a long silk wrapped object.

Yasu took it in one hand and immediately knew what it was. His eyebrow flew up and he growled at the old man. "Is that what you did with my extra fang?"

Totosai blinked widely. "What?"

Yasu rolled his eyes and gently handed Nyoko the gift. "I'll teach you."

"Teach?" She squeaked and opened the silk. A five foot wooden pole with a foot blade on the end was held in her hands. "What...what is this?"

"A glaive, or naginata. Whichever title you prefer. It is a weapon obviously. The blade was special made with Yasu's fang as he noticed and it is your personal weapon." Ms. Nozama said. "Or it will be after this."

"After what?" Nyoko asked setting the wooden end on the ground. Before she could blink two things happened at once. Totosai stabbed the back of her hand on the wood and Ms. Nozama pressed her other palm over the sharp edge of the blade.

Fire roared before Nyoko's eyes and she heard Yasu snarl and then everything went black.

**

* * *

**

Bakusaiga is Sesshomaru's sword in the Manga after chapter...518. The manga is finished!! I liked the ending but I am still in shock lol.

**Review!!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hello! New Chapter for Hunted here. Are you excited duckies?? LOL prepare for embarrassment, harassment, and other –ments. **

* * *

Yasu gathered the unconscious girl to him, heedless of the weapon clenched tightly in her hands and the fire licking at her wounds. His eyes flashed red at those around him in protection of his chosen mate.

"Are you stupid!?" Inuyasha shouted punching the back of Totosai's head.

"What was that for?" Grandfatehr Higurashi asked when Kagome repeated the hit with him and Mrs. Nozama.

"You idiots almost got yourselves killed!" Kagome snarled in a good impression of the dog bristling beside her. "Injuring Nyoko in front of her mate! If he didn't understand what you were doing and have such good control, you would be dead!"

Said dog nodded. "Very foolish." Sesshomaru's voice was as cold as they had heard it five hundred years before. He fought the urge to roll his eyes at the stupidity of mortals and fools.

Yasu nodded and scooped Nyoko more firmly into his arms and secured the weapon to them. He stormed from the room leaving his aunt and uncle to ream out the three old people with his father for intimidation. By the time he'd reached his room in the large castle, the fire on Nyoko's hands had sunk back into her skin leaving it merely warm to the touch. He laid her down gently and pulled at her glaive. "Let go love." He murmured when her hands tightened unconsciously.

Nyoko's hands relaxed and he laid the weapon on the floor before nudging it under the bed. He sat beside Nyoko and studied the wounds, his mind racing a thousand miles a second. He'd reacted badly to the wounding of Nyoko. While he knew it was good to be protective, he couldn't deny somethings would injure her. What if Sango were to spar with her and bloody her knuckles or lip. He didn't want to attack her accidently and he definitely didn't want the abuse Nyoko would heap on his head for the action.

He sighed and smiled ruefully before lifting the sliced palm to his lips. _I'll have to work hard. _He thought to himself then began to carefully lick Nyoko's wound.

* * *

The warm sensation of something wet and slightly rough running over her palm was what Nyoko woke to and she slowly opened her eyes. She blinked certain her mind was playing tricks on her but no…Yasu was really licking her hand. A flush began to creep up her cheeks as she watched him slowly run his tongue over the wound then turn it over and work on the other side.

"Sorry about this sweet." He murmured between licks startling Nyoko in his knowledge of her awakening. "But I need to heal your wounds if you expect to be able to hold your weapon and learn to use it." His eyes met hers and she saw a fiery desire in them. "This is going to sound…corny but…you taste delicious." As if to prove his point he slid his tongue over the last of the blood clinging to her skin.

Nyoko felt her blush increase dramatically and lowered her eyes unable to look at him. "You were right." She managed to whisper after a moment. She peeked up to see him looking at her, his head tilted to the side curiously like a real dog and she grinned wickedly. "That did sound corny."

Yasu laughed and leaned back giving her room to sit up. "Are you alright?" He asked searching her eyes for the answers and sniffing the air around her carefully.

Nyoko smiled, unable to stop in the face of his caring nature. "I am fine. What…"

"Hang on I'll get Kagome." Yasu interrupted and darted from the room in a panic.

Nyoko was left staring in shock and confusion. "What in the world?" She started only to be interrupted again by Kagome being thrust into the room and the door slammed behind her.

"I AM SO GOING TO GET YOU A NECKLACE BOY!" Kagome shouted at the door then turned huffing angrily to Nyoko. "Hi Nyoko how are you feeling? That was powerful magic down there." Kagome said flashing Nyoko a view of her slightly burned arm.

"Oh my God Kagome! Did I do that? I am so sorry!" Nyoko gasped out guiltily.

"Don't worry. It'll heal." Kagome waved off her apology and bounced onto the bed beside Nyoko. "Sango will be up in a minute to…guard me so I can kidnap you for a bath in the hot springs outside. Your period started."

Nyoko jumped and suddenly became aware of the faint dampness in her pants. "How…"

"Yasu smelled it. Dogs are so sensitive." Kagome muttered. "You'd think after two sisters and various other female friends he'd cease to be embarrassed about such things." Kagome continued oblivious to the red-faced girl beside her. "He is almost as bad as Inuyasha is when I am on mine."

"Ah but you see…" Sango started peeking into the room. "You two are their potential mates. It makes them…well to be blunt like Miroku." She scowled and fully came into the room.

"Sango is that…" Kagome breathed crawling off the bed.

Nyoko studied the large white weapon, it was smooth but even at this distance Nyoko could see the razor edges. It was as tall as Sango and shaped like a giant boomerang.

"Yep! Sesshomaru rescued my Hiraikotsu and had it held here for me." Sango said running a hand lovingly down the bone weapon. "Now lets off to the bath."

The three of them were quiet for the short trip out the back door and into the separate bathing house. The house had normal plumbing and fabulous bathrooms but nothing could beat soaking in a natural hot spring. "Ahh! I missed this!" Kagome moaned sinking to her nose in the hot waters. Sango grinned and followed suit her weapon always within easy reach.

Nyoko slid into the water and agreed, it _was _wonderful. "Sango?" She started hesitantly.

"Yes Nyoko?" Sango asked smiling at the younger woman.

"Umm what did you mean Inuyasha and Yasu would be like Miroku?" Nyoko finally asked her face a bit pink.

Kagome nodded and slid further up on her rock to get her head fully above the water. "Yeah…I don't remember Inuyasha ever acting like Miroku."

"I didn't say they'd _act _like Miroku. Just that they would _be_ like Miroku. As in hornier than a goat." Sango said bluntly. "When a chosen mate gets their period it is a reminder to the male that they are fertile. It makes them want to start the mating rituals and be prepared for your next heat or in human language, the time when you are most fertile. Those are the two times unmated but matched male dog demons have to be especially careful." Sango smirked at the gob-smacked look on the other two girls faces. "That is why Inuyasha would argue so much with you on your period though you were always so angry anyway you probably didn't notice. If you were mad at him, he wouldn't be able to try to mate with you."

"WHAT!?" Kagome shouted jumping to her feet. Nyoko was blushing at the implications that Yasu wanted to have sex with her soon by the smell of her period but she couldn't help but laugh at the incredulous look on Kagomes face.

"Honestly Kagome, I knew you didn't recognize his feelings at first but I thought you'd understood that long before which is why you hid the smell of it." Sango shook her head laughing. She stopped immediately at Kagome's pale expression.

"Hid the…hid the smell?" Kagome repeated confused. She slowly moved backwards to sit on the rocks at the edge of the pool. "How did I hide…" She paused and arched an eyebrow at Sango. "How did you know Inuyasha couldn't smell my period anymore?"

Sango blushed but instead of embarrassed she looked angry. "The idiot told me that I should figure out what you did so that I wouldn't smell either and no random demons would attack because of the blood scent." She snorted and looked away crossing her arms and muttering. "I got him good though."

"Umm Sango…I didn't hide my scent. I stopped getting my period." Kagome said quietly.

**(I was SOOOOO tempted to end it there. Not that any guys reading could hit the absolute multitude of reasons why a girl would/could stop getting her period cause you know everyone would jump to the OMG she's prego. LOL But I digress…now I continue.)**

Sango and Nyoko's eyebrows flew to their hairline. Nyoko soon relaxed back though Sango jumped to her feet. "Kagome is everything alright! Do we need to go see a doctor?" Nyoko snorted and Sango glared at her for laughing about Kagome's 'condition'.

"No Sango you see…there are things in this time that prevent you from getting your period and being fertile. I just got one of those. Partly in case anything ever _did _happen with Inuyasha," Kagome admitted turning bright red, "Partly so I wouldn't have to carry around things to stop my bleeding, but mainly because of Naraku." Kagome looked up into Sango's eyes and Sango shivered at the cold and dead look in Kagome's eyes. Nyoko even off to the side shivered at the edge of the gaze. "If Naraku were to capture me for an extended period of time back then, I have no doubt he would have raped me. And I want no child from that man."

**

* * *

**

Better place to end. I was tempted to have her say half-breed and Inuyasha hear and drama drama drama but I hate angst if I don't have to have it. So….no angst, here anyway! PLEASE REVIEW!!


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16!! I was going to have Naraku attack them in the springs but I was like...nah there is no way he'd get in sooo I changed and it evolved to this. A bit of angst but we can't really expect Kagome to just accept everything that has happened. Alright here we go.**

* * *

"Kagome…" Sango said quietly. While they'd all known that Naraku would have raped her if he'd had the chance, none of them had realized just how seriously Kagome had taken that threat.

"Did something happen?" Nyoko asked abruptly. She'd only heard the general things they had done on their adventures, she didn't know all of the details that might or might not have happened.

Kagome was quiet in answering long enough that Sango feared something _had _happened that they had all missed. "No…he never got the chance to touch me." Kagome said looking up at the hazy ceiling. "Though he told me in minute details exactly what he was going to do to me just before Inuyasha rescued me."

"Oh Kagome…" Sango sobbed wrapping her arms around her sister.

Kagome patted her back absentmindedly looking out to the side her brow furrowed. "Nyoko…do…do you feel like we are being watched?" Kagome's voice was so quiet Nyoko wasn't sure she'd heard it at first.

Nyoko silently slipped from the water and crept to the door on the side of the wall Kagome indicated. She closed her eyes and listened to the noises on the other side of the wood. She heard breathing coming from almost directly next to her. She waved to Kagome then stepped away from the door. Sango rushed past her slamming feet first into the wood and slamming the door outward to slam into the person on the other side.

Nyoko stared in shock at the damage to the hot spring and at the person Sango was currently holding by the back of his neck. "You have got to be kidding me…"

"Please Sango!" Miroku screeched trying to make her left go while oogling her naked body. "I was only standing guard!"

"You little idiot!" Sango started yelling as she hit him. Their fighting was so loud Nyoko missed the sound of the back door slamming open.

At least she did until she and Kagome came face to face with Inuyasha and Yasu. At least the two girls were looking at their faces, the boys eyes kind of stopped a foot lower. "Hentai!" Nyoko shouted throwing her arms over her chest and crossing her legs. Kagome just turned her back and stalked back into the spring muttering. "Yasu! Go get me some clothes you pervert!" Nyoko growled and turned back into the spring.

The two dog demons darted back into the house for clothing completely ignoring the pleading of Miroku to save him. "Yasu…don't ever mention what just happened." Inuyasha said as they hit the stairs of their wing. "It will be safer if they think we forgot."

Yasu nodded slowly though he knew there was no way he was going to forget the beauty he just saw. His beast was purring in contentment. "I am totally a pervert." Yasu muttered rubbing his eyes as he ducked into Nyoko's room and dug out a robe.

When he joined Inuyasha again Inuyasha was still laughing. "All of us are perverts Yasu. It comes with being a dog." He was still chuckling when he handed Kagome her robe.

* * *

Naraku stepped further into the trees behind the fortress and growled. The damn dogs had really good barriers. He couldn't get through them even in this mostly human body. Slowly he'd been finding out where low class demons were hiding in this new human world and forcing them to merge with his body. As of yet he'd found three: a young bear demon, a snake demon, and a moth demon. He was disgusted at the few choices he had but until he was powerful enough to merge with a higher demon, like Sesshomaru or Kouga, he would have to suffer.

Although being stuck as the human he was wouldn't be too bad. He lifted the 9mm in his left hand and studied it carefully. He certainly had a lot more powerful weapons to use now. He turned his back on the fortress and began his way to the car. He scowled at the screaming inside his head and shook it sharply. _Stupid human is still trying to get free._

* * *

Kagome stood in the dojo once again holding a practice glaive and staring at it uncertainly. "Alright well…I understand why _Nyoko _is learning to fight on one of these but out of curiousity…why am _I _going to be taught it?"

Yasu stretched then repositioned Nyoko's hands on her own practice weapon. "It is a weapon that will probably be good for you to use." He picked a blade of his own and demonstrated the first stance. "Alright you guys. Do what I do. Later Kioko and Kosuke have agreed to spar with you. They are the two glaive masters in the family."

"I still don't understand why I am having to learn this." Kagome muttered as they began to mimic his movements.

"I'm excited." Nyoko confessed trying to find a balance with the large weapon. "I always wanted to learn how to fight and as large as this weapon is…I don't know, I feel like it is a feminine weapon."

"In the history of Japan it was predominately used by women though it started as a male weapon. In other parts of the world it was used by men." Yasu explained moving slowly into a lunge position. He turned slowly sweeping his forward hand back to his back hand and swinging the blade in front of him. "It is top heavy with the blade so sweeps are powerful."

Kagome stumbled and slipped to her knees. "This is ridiculous. If I wanted to learn something I'm never going to use I'm going to learn to shoot." She stormed out of the room grabbed a clip and a 9mm before slinging a shotgun and box of shot over her shoulder. "Send Sesshomaru out to me before I shoot myself." She muttered and slammed the door.

Nyoko stared after the angry woman then looked to Yasu for information. He sighed before moving to the intercom to call his dad. When he returned he worked on correcting Nyoko's position before he explained. "According to my mother Kagome often felt useless. She could shoot her bow and purify demons with her arrows but often she viewed herself as a useless member of her pack." He stepped behind her and showed her an upper sweep. "I'm sure she feels even more useless now. She gave her life to kill Naraku and purify the jewel. But in being brought back life she suffers with Naraku's continued existence. She probably sees it as her fault he came back, her fault he killed her family, and her fault you were attacked." He stared outside as a flurry of gunshots sounded. "She is a pure soul, a person of innocence more than even you my love, and she is afraid she can't protect everyone." He smiled sadly at Nyoko then kissed her forehead gently.

* * *

Outside Kagome aimed at a tree fifty yards away from her and felt her anger and confusion fill her up making the gun waver. She swallowed and closed her eyes to calm. _I am able to fight. I defeated him once I can do it again. _She aimed and shot her bullet a light pink color just before slamming into the heart of the tree. "I hit it." She said shocked, she set the gun down carefully then began to jump up and down. "I hit it! I hit it! I hit it!"

"Very good Kagome." Sesshomaru said coming up beside her. "Do you feel better now?" He asked touching the top of her head gently.

She nodded and gripped his hand into hers. "Thank you Sesshomaru. You never did let any of us wallow in self-pity." She smiled brushing away the tracks of her earlier tears.

"Self-pity is the most useless emotion of all." Sesshomaru said looking at the bullet hole for a moment before looking back at Kagome. "And many emotions are extremely useless."

Kagome chuckled and hugged the stoic lord before darting inside. "Lets get some lunch!"

* * *

Naraku looked up at the building before him faintly amused before wandering into the midst of a gang of thugs.

"Who…who the hell are you?" One of the thugs asked approaching Naraku.

Naraku pulled out his gun and shot the thug in the forehead. The others froze and turned to look in shock at the small man who'd killed one of their own. "I'm your new leader. Any questions?" Naraku asked letting the gun point at each of the men in turn. When there was no response he smiled. "Good."

* * *

**Naraku has a bunch of thugs now!! What a little bastard! REVIEW!!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Nyoko-centric chapter fore-warning it is also VERY LONG because of the fairy tale thrown in. All her and Yasu fluff and the revelation of where her 'people' came from. And if you didn't get it by now, the fire in the pendent is kind of like the beast inside Sesshomaru that you see or Inuyasha's beast when it talks to him in his head. **

**Disclaimer: Story came from**** William E. Griffis's**_** Fairy Tales of Old Japan. story in italics.**_

* * *

Nyoko leaned back against the pillows on her bed and cradled her little sister gently in her arms. Beside her Yasu read aloud from a fairy tale book, he looked at her and winked. "This is a story that you can relate too, according to my father he believes this is the origin of the fire spirits."

His voice was soothing and intriguing as he read the story and Nyoko found herself closing her eyes to imagine the story in her mind. "_On the southern and sunny side of the castle moats of the Fukui castle, in Echizen, the water had long ago become shallow so that lotus lilies grew luxuriantly. Deep in the heart of one of the great flowers whose petals were as pink as the lining of a seashell, lived the King of the Fire-Flies, Hi-o, whose only daughter was the lovely Princess Hotaru. While still a child the Princess had been carefully kept at home within the pink petals of the lily, never going __even to the edges except to see her father fly off on his journey. Dutifully she waited until of age, when the fire glowed in her own body, and shone, beautifully illuminating the lotus, until its light gleamed like a lamp within a globe of coral. _

_Every night her light grew brighter and brighter, until at last it was as mellow as gold. Then her father said: "My daughter is now of age, she may fly abroad with me sometimes, and when the proper suitor comes she may marry whom she will." _

_So Hotaru flew forth in and out among the lotus lilies of the moat, then into rich rice fields, and at last far off to the indigo meadows."_

Nyoko smiled softly when Mika cooed at the mention of meadows. Yasu grinned and glanced up before going back to reading. Mika again closed her eyes and saw a beautiful young woman with golden hair and eyes floating gently around in the sky. The necklace on her throat warmed gently and when she touched it softly she felt it begin to tell the tale along with Yasu, giving images more detailed.

"_Wherever she went a crowd of suitors followed her, for she had the singular power of attracting all the night-flying insects to herself. But she cared for none of their attentions, and though she spoke politely to them all she gave encouragement to none. Yet some of the sheeny-winged gallants called her a coquette. _

_One night she said to her mother, the Queen: "I have met many admirers, but I do not wish a husband from any of them. To-night I shall stay at home, and if any of them love me truly they will come and pay me court here. Then I shall lay an impossible duty on them. If they are wise they will not try to perform it; but if they love their lives more than they love me, I do not want any of them. Whoever succeeds may have me for his bride." _

_"As you will, my child," said the Queen-mother, who arrayed her daughter in her most resplendent robes, and set her on her throne in the heart of the lotus. _

_Then she gave orders to her body-guard to keep all suitors at a respectful distance lest some stupid gallant, a Horn-bug or a Cockchafer dazzled by the light, should approach too near and hurt the Princess or shake her throne. _

_No sooner had twilight faded away, than forth came the Golden Beetle, who stood on a stamen and making obeisance, said:— "I am Lord Green-Gold. I offer my house, my fortune, and my love to Princess Hotaru." _

The image of a man, wide as a house though not with fat and dark brown hair stood arrogantly in front of the princess his cloak billowing out around him.

"_"Go and bring me fire and I will be your bride," said Hotaru. _

_With a bow of the head the beetle opened his wings and departed with a stately whirr. _

_Next came a shining bug with wings and body as black as lamp-smoke, who solemnly professed his passion. He received the same answer: _

_"Bring me fire, and you may have me for your wife." _

_Off flew the bug with a buzz. _

The dark man turned regally and walked off his hair fluttering behind him and his eyes the only brightness in his dark complexion.

_Pretty soon came the scarlet Dragon-fly, expecting so to dazzle the Princess by his gorgeous colors that she would accept him at once. _

The third man was tall, his hair red as fire and his eyes dark as blood. He was one of the most beautiful creatures Nyoko had ever seen but she could feel that he knew it.

_"I decline your offer," said the Princess, "unless you bring me a flash of fire." _

_Swift was the flight of the Dragon-fly on his errand, and in came the Beetle with a tremendous buzz, and ardently pleaded his suit. _

_"I will say 'yes' if you bring me fire," said the glittering Princess. _

_Suitor after suitor appeared to woo the daughter of the King of the Fire-Flies until every petal was dotted with them. One after another in a long troop they appeared. Each in his own way, proudly, humbly, boldly, mildly, with flattery, with boasting, even with tears, proffered his love, told his rank or expatiated on his fortune or vowed his constancy, sang his tune or played his music. To every one of her lovers the Princess in modest voice returned the same answer: _

_"Bring me fire, and I'll be your bride." _

_So without telling his rivals, each one thinking he had the secret alone sped away after fire. _

_But none ever came back to wed the Princess. Alas for the poor suitors! The Beetle whizzed off to a house near by through the paper windows of which light glimmered. So full was he of his passion that thinking nothing of wood or iron, he dashed his head against a nail, and fell dead on the ground. _

_The black bug flew into a room where a poor student was reading. His lamp was only a dish of earthenware full of rape seed oil with a wick made of pith. Knowing nothing of oil the lovelorn bug crawled into the dish to reach the flame and in a few seconds was drowned as in a sea. _

_"What's that?" said a thrifty housewife, sitting with needle in hand, as her lamp flared up for a moment, smoking the chimney, and then cracking it; while picking out the scorched bits she found a roasted Dragon-Fly, whose scarlet wings were all burned off. _

_Mad with love the brilliant Hawk-Moth, afraid of the flame yet determined to win the fire for the Princess, hovered round and round the candle flame, coming nearer and nearer each time. "Now or never, the Princess or death," he buzzed, as he darted forward to snatch a flash of flame, but singeing his wings, he fell helplessly down, and died in agony. _

_"What a fool he was, to be sure," said the ugly Clothes-Moth, coming on the spot. "I'll get the fire. I'll crawl up inside the candle." So he climbed up the hollow paper wick, and was nearly to the top, and close to the blue part of the flame, when the man, snuffing the wick, crushed him to death. _

_Sad indeed was the fate of the lovers of Hi-o's daughter. Some hovered around the beacons on the headland, some fluttered about the great wax candles which stood eight feet high in their brass sockets in the temples of Buddha; some burned their noses at the top of incense sticks, or were nearly choked by the smoke; some danced all night around the lanterns in the shrines; some sought the sepulchral lamps in the graveyards; one visited the cremation furnace; another the kitchen, where a feast was going on; another chased the sparks that flew out of the chimney; but none brought fire to the Princess, or won the lover's prize. Many lost their feelers, had their shining bodies scorched or their wings singed, but most of them alas! lay dead, black and cold next morning. _

_As the priests trimmed the lamps in the shrines, and the servant maids the lanterns, each said alike: "The Princess Hotaru must have had many lovers last night." _

_Alas! alas! poor suitors. Some tried to snatch a streak of green fire from the cat's eyes, and were snapped up for their pains. One attempted to get a mouthful of bird's breath, but was swallowed alive. A Carrion-Beetle (the ugly lover) crawled off to the seashore, and found some fish scales that emitted light. The Stag-Beetle climbed a mountain, and in a rotten tree stump found some bits of glowing wood like fire, but the distance was so great that long before they reached the castle moat it was daylight, and the fire had gone out; so they threw their fish scales and old wood away. _

_The next day was one of great mourning, and there were so many funerals going on that Hi-maro the Prince of the Fire-Flies on the north side of the castle moat inquired of his servants the cause. Then he learned for the first time of the glittering Princess. _

Nyoko felt the warmth burn brighter against her skin and she saw a young man, beautiful and kind with dark golden hair and silvery eyes.

_Upon this the Prince, who had just succeeded his father upon the throne, fell in love with the Princess and resolved to marry her. He sent his chamberlain to ask of her father his daughter in marriage according to true etiquette: The father agreed to the Prince's proposal, with the condition that the Prince should obey her behest in one thing, which was to come in person bringing her fire. _

_Then the Prince at the head of his glittering battalions came in person and filled the lotus palace with a flood of golden light. But Hotaru was so beautiful that her charms paled not their fire even in the blaze of the Prince's glory. The visit ended in wooing, and the wooing in wedding. On the night appointed, in a palanquin made of the white lotus-petals, amid the blazing torches of the Prince's battalions of warriors, Hotaru was borne to the Prince's palace, and there Prince and Princess were joined in wedlock. _

_Many generations have passed since Hi-maro and Hotaru were married, and still it is the whim of all Fire-Fly princesses that their base-born lovers must bring fire as their love-offering or lose their prize. Else would the glittering fair ones be wearied unto death by the importunity of their lovers. Great indeed is the loss, for in this quest of fire many thousand insects, attracted by the Fire-Fly, are burned to death in the vain hope of winning the fire that shall gain the cruel but beautiful one that fascinates them. It is for this cause that each night insects hover around the lamp flame, and every morning a crowd of victims drowned in the oil, or scorched in the flame, must be cleaned from the lamp. This is the reason why young ladies catch and imprison the Fire-Flies to watch the war of insect-love, in the hope that they may have human lovers who will dare as much, through fire and flood, as they."_

Yasu's voice trailed off and he looked up at Nyoko. "Anyway that's the fairy tale."

Nyoko glanced and smiled. "Want to hear what really happened?" The orange ring in her eye was wider than before and the pink was bright as the moon. She didn't wait for an answer and gently touched the pendent on her throat. "A young princess desperately wanted the love that her parents had. But she was only surrounded by people who wanted her power. To decide who to marry she gave them the task of bringing back a fire that she could hold and wouldn't burn her. Suitor after suitor searched and many died in the task but one day a young man, came to her and held out a sakura flower." She touched the pendent again and continued. "The princess was amazed to see that the flower was burning brightly and reached out to hold it. The fire-flower unfurled itself and then curled around her hand and cuddled her. When the princess asked the young man what kind of flower it was his only reply was, 'the flower of my love for you'. Touched and instantly in love the two were wed and their descendents were forever blessed with the ability to shape and control fire."

Yasu leaned forward resting his forehead against hers and trailing his fingers through Mika's soft hair. "The fire talks to you again?"

Nyoko nodded. "Do…do you think we could practice some stuff with fire?" Nyoko was nervous about asking. She had been training on the naginata for the last few days but no one had once mentioned training with her fire ability. It was a part of her and she accepted that but she was scared of it. _What if I lost control and burned someone important? I __**need **__to learn how to wield it._

"Of course. We can work in here. Just set Mika in the crib and I'll light up a fire." Yasu murmured pressing his lips gently to her forehead before sliding off the far end of the bed.

Nyoko smiled softly to herself and got up from the bed as well. Mika opened her eyes and gave a small smile before Nyoko set her in her crib. Nyoko ran her hands over Mika's cheek gently and felt the old worry back in her chest. _Am I doing the right thing? Raising her like this? Pretending to be her mother? _She felt a pair of arms wrap around her and a warm aura flow into her.

"I can tell what you're thinking." Yasu murmured holding her gently to him. The demon blood in him called out to comfort the girl and he kissed her cheek lingeringly. "And you are being silly." She huffed and crossed her arms as best she could over his own. He chuckled at her temper and turned her to face him. "Would you be willing to give Mika up to a foster home?"

"Never!" Nyoko gasped. _How could he ask such a thing! I'd never let anyone have Mika!_

"Then you know why you are being silly. You are doing the best thing for both her and you by being Mika's mother. Whether you birthed her or not, whether she had been an abandoned child or your sister, it is right for you to raise her. You love her Nyoko. That is all that matters." When tears welled up in her eyes he bent forward and pressed his lips gently to hers.

Nyoko melted into Yasu's arms, the kiss had taken her by surprise but she wasn't going to lie to herself and say she didn't like it. It felt so right to be there held in his arms. When he leaned back she couldn't stop the smile that bloomed all over her face. "Hang on a second." She murmured and went over to where he'd lit a candle for her. Bent over it she placed her hands on either side of the flame and concentrated. _Please…please work. _She prayed and blew gently onto the fire. It grew and shifted and changed and she felt her eyes twinge a bit. She stopped blowing and concentrated on the feeling of the fire in her hands and what she wanted it to be and began to smile when it changed.

Yasu couldn't see what Nyoko was doing but he could feel her concentration and determination. He waited patiently for her to finish whatever it was she was doing and when she turned around he slowly fell to his knees in awe.

Nyoko held a sakura blossom made of fire in her hand. She smiled at him and he saw that the pink and orange in her eyes had extended again until the two colors of magic and her own natural green were perfect even rings around her pupils. (**haha I had to go look up what color I made her eyes, think of her eyes like the Fae in Laurell K Hamilton books)**"This is the flower of my love for you." She handed it to him gently and their eyes met over the brightly burning flower and no more words were spoken.

_**Okay so what did you guys think? I wanted to dedicate a chapter to the two of them and their feelings for each other and I used them talking about where the fire users came from. Battles will be beginning again soon but there has to be a lull in the violence. The calm before the storm. REVIEW.**_


	18. Chapter 18

**_Update!! Yay!! I am home from Vacation and will be updating sooner. Overall it was nice but very stressful which isn't what a vacation is supposed to be but (shrugg) what can you do?_**

**_On with the chapter!!_**

* * *

Kagome was bright red.

Nyoko was staring in complete shock at how red Kagome was managing to get. She could _feel _the heat of the blush coming from Kagome. And she had to admit, she would probably be blushing just as bad if she'd just gone through the same events.

The morning had started out normally. Kagome and Inuyasha had argued on their way down to breakfast, Mika had wanted milk about the same time and Sango had slammed Miroku's head into the kitchen table.

Sesshomaru was sitting at the table with Kagome's mother and the two of them were murmuring to each other which was a little unusual but when they waved Inuyasha over and told Kagome to get lost, Nyoko knew something was up.

Which leads us to right now.

Inuyasha was bright red.

Miroku was staring in complete amusement at how red Inuyasha was managing to get. He was almost matching the fire-rat robe. And he had to admit, it was wonderful to see him that embarrassed.

On his knee.

With a box in hand.

Asking Kagome to marry him.

(_**HAHA I AM SOO EVIL I WAS GOING TO END IT RIGHT THERE**_)

"Are you serious?" Kagome squeaked.

Inuyasha nodded, "I love you Kagome. Sesshomaru and your mother gave me permission and I want you to marry me."

"Why are you doing this?" Kagome asked resting her head in her hands.

Inuyasha blinked the red gaining in his cheeks. "I thought it would be important to you. Kagome…I know I mess up a lot but you are always there for me, even with Kikyo and I want you to be my mate more than I want to admit in from of so many people." He growled out glaring at Miroku and Yasu who were watching with almost identical expresses of amusement. "But I thought that the human way, the marriage under laws and religion, would mean something to you."

"It does Inuyasha." Kagome whispered looking up her eyes bright with tears. "It really does. And yes, I would love to not only marry you, but be your mate." She threw herself into his arms and cried as the other four people slipped out of the side door.

Sango and Nyoko wiped their eyes lightly. "That was soo romantic." Nyoko confessed taking the tissue from Yasu.

"I thought he was going to blow it when he mentioned Kikyo." Miroku admitted looking back into the room. "I thought he might have said something about how he'd loved her and couldn't help but love her reincarnation."

Sango smacked him on the back of the head. "He isn't that stupid."

Miroku rolled his eyes. "Of course he is. You weren't there for this but once we met up with Kikyo and Inuyasha apparently told her that he never stopped thinking about her and kissed her." Miroku nodded when Sango and Yasu hissed in anger.

"What is so special about that if they weren't together?" Nyoko asked her head tilted to the side.

"Well…" Miroku started scratching his head. "Kikyo had made Kagome invisible and she was right there to see it. When she went home in anger, she happened to come back just in time to hear Inuyasha ask if he could have both her and Kikyo."

"He didn't!" Sango growled cracking her knuckles.

"Oh yes he did." Kagome responded leaning against the door jam with Inuyasha resting his chin on her shoulder as the two of them glared at Miroku.

"Umm." Miroku stuttered looking at the murderous look on his two friends faces.

"Maybe I should tell Sango about the amount of groping Miroku did to me when we first met." Kagome's voice was soft and Miroku shivered.

"Now Kagome…" Miroku started. He was cut off by Inuyasha's fist on the back of Miroku's head.

"Enough. Sesshomaru wants to talk to us about going after Naraku. He thinks he might know where he is." Inuyasha growled starting down the hall.

Yasu laughed and wrapped his arm around Nyoko who was having trouble breathing through her laughter. "Nyoko just wait. One day this will be _your _family too."

Nyoko turned bright red and fled down the hall ahead of him catching up to Inuyasha.

"You don't mince words do you?" Kagome asked linking arms with the young demon.

Yasu laughed and leaned down to kiss his soon-to-be Aunts cheek. "Why waste the time? I've waited centuries for this girl, I don't intend to wait much longer."

Miroku hung back watching the others and turned to Sango. "Sango…I don't really tell you as much as you deserve, but I love you."

Sango turned bright red and Miroku smirked to see it almost rivaled Kagome's earlier blush. She leaned in to kiss his cheek then started down the hall leaving _him_ blushing behind her. "Don't get mushy now monk. I wouldn't recognize you."

Miroku sighed and touched his cheek softly. _I love that woman._

Sesshomaru stared at his youngest daughter and raised an eyebrow. "Kosuke would you care to repeat that?" His voice was low and dangerous but she just stuck her bottom lip out in a pout.

"I have a date tonight. I'm heading back to Tokyo for a few hours." Kosuke replied crossing her arms and glaring at her father.

"No you aren't." Sesshomaru growled standing and glaring down at his daughter.

"Your father is right darling. With Naraku back you aren't safe out there by yourself with the humans." Kagura was saying as the six others entered the room.

"Well then I won't go alone." Kosuke responded, her argumentative behavior was making her parents think of her older sister. "Kioko can come with me."

Sesshomaru's face almost blanched out of shock and terror. His two daughters loose in Tokyo with Naraku on the loose. He could just see them hunting him down. "_NO!"_

Yasu glanced at Nyoko and then turned to his dad. "What about Nyoko and I? The two of us could join Kosuke on a double date." He looked at Nyoko's slightly shell-shocked face and gave her the 'puppy eyes' he'd perfected on his mother. "Would you like to go Nyoko?"

Kagome nudged the girl who had begun to stutter. "She'll go. We'll go get her ready." She told Yasu and between her and Kosuke, who was on board with _Yasu _now convincing dad to let them go, dragged her upstairs to change.

_How do these things keep happening to me?_ Nyoko asked herself as she saw Inuyasha and Yasu wearing almost identical smirks behind her.

"They'll be alright Sesshomaru." Inuyasha remarked as Sesshomaru turned his glare to his only son. "None of them are well known to Naraku and even though he could recognize Nyoko he won't approach two powerful beings such as your kids." He snorted. "You won't hear me compliment you much but you and Kagura had some damn powerful kids."

"Why thank you Uncle!" Yasu's sarcasm matched Sesshomaru's dry look. "Let us hope your own children get their mothers brain."

Inuyasha just laughed. "I couldn't agree with you more." He smacked Yasu's back causing the other demon to stumble. "And we can hope your children get their mothers looks."

Sesshomaru threw up his hands in an uncommonly emotional gesture. "I wash my hand of you two idiots. Be home by eleven Yasu and I _know _you and your sister will be on time."

Yasu bowed low and waited for his father to leave before turning to his Uncle who had only watched with slight amusement. "That argument was a lot easier than I was expecting."

Inuyasha smirked. "You just need to know how to work him."

The two of them turned to the door as Sesshomaru stormed in and threw a wooden bokken at his brother. "Dojo now." He growled and Inuyasha sulked as he followed Sesshomaru from the room leaving a laughing Yasu behind him.

__

* * *

They keep leaving people in random emotions behind them lol. You ever notice how often that happens? A lot lol! Anyway I hope this chapter made my readers happy. I know it took a long time but after my laptop had its issues (which it got fixed and is STILL crappy so I'm aiming to use the new one even though it scares me) I am currently writing this from a hotel room in Florida and watching the Olympics (date August 10 at 10:27 pm) I will be home in a few days however and will immediately post this after much needed sleep! So hope everyone had a nice summer since school is starting soon and I am hope you enjoyed this!

REVIEW!!


	19. Chapter 19

**_Long Awaited, Chapter 19. Pleas vote for updates. I know some people like one story better than the other and I'm trying to do whichever gets the most attention. _**

* * *

Yasu helped Nyoko from the backseat of Kosuke's BMW and once again gulped at her beauty. He'd always known she was gorgeous, she'd always dressed beautifully too, but she had a special glow about her. She wore silver heels, a navy jean skirt that slit up to mid-thigh, silver hoop earrings and a simple white shirt that revealed the glowing pendent at her throat. "You look good enough to eat." Yasu murmured in her ear as they wandered to the doorway of the restaurant where Kosuke's date was waiting.

Nyoko felt her cheeks get red and smiled shyly at him. "You look pretty good yourself." She replied taking in his black suit and red tie. He flashed and straightened his tie self-conciously.

"Kosuke." A soft voice came from behind them and Nyoko looked up to see a small blond girl wearing black slacks, pencil heels, and blood red loose neck shirt over a gold cami.

Kosuke grinned and moved to the girls side and kissed her gently on the cheek. "Hey babe." Kosuke's own olive cocktail dress flattered her coloring and made them look like a couple at Christmas in a cute way. "Yasu, you've met, but this is his girlfriend, Nyoko. Nyoko this is Merry."

Nyoko smiled and gripped the hand that was held out to her. "Hello!" She saw Merry study her and knew she was being watched to see what her reaction would be. "How long have you known each other?"

Kosuke smiled and slipped her arm around Merry's waist. "Three years. We've only been dating for one though."

"Let's head inside and I'll tell you the whole story." Merry told Nyoko smiling softly.

Yasu nodded in agreement and the four of them headed inside. Within minutes they had been seated, the Takashi name carried a lot of weight. Merry ordered quickly then turned to Nyoko again. "I am a dance instructor at Tokyo University. A few years ago I was invited to see the Takashi Sisters perform one of their fire-dances. I was amazed and right away I knew I had to have one of them come in to meet my students and show what perseverance and determination could get you. Instead of working for months to try to speak with them, a day after the show Kosuke came by my office to ask me if she could visit my class." Merry turned to smile at Kosuke. "It was like she read my mind."

Kosuke laughed and leaned over to plant a kiss on Merry's cheek. "If I could read minds I would have known to ask you out sooner." She took a sip from her wine and winked at Yasu. "Now we can have 'who has the hotter girlfriend' competitions."

"I already win it." Yasu replied lifting Nyoko's hand to kiss. "Though yours isn't bad looking."

"Thank ever so." Merry replied dryly. "How did you two meet?"

Nyoko laughed and pointed to Yasu. "He's a big time skateboarder and I was walking by the skate park one day and saw him do a trick. I stayed to watch since I was on lunch break and we fell to talking. It wasn't that long ago but…" She turned to smile at him. "It feels like it was meant to be." She could see the utter happiness that filled his eyes at her words and smiled shyly back at him.

Yasu opened his mouth to say something but their food arrived and the rest of dinner was full of light and joking conversation. Merry was very intelligent, though she was only twenty-six she was the assistant head to the dance department at Tokyo University and had many connections for her students to use after graduating. She admitted that Kosuke was a lot of help their but she reciprocated the help by sending her students to the school that Kosuke sometimes taught at for extra lessons.

After a witty repartee between Yasu and his sister that left Nyoko laughing softly she excused herself to go to the bathroom. On her way back to the table she paused to admire the quiet night outside the restaurant windows. _It's so peaceful here. It's hard to imagine that a psycho is trying to kill us all. _She thought dryly and started to turn away when a man outside the restaurant caught her eye. _Riku? _She noticed the expression on his face and darted out the front door. "Riku!" She called out.

The tall lanky youth turned and tried to smile at her. "Hey Nyoko. How you been?" His face was pale and drawn and his eyes were dark with fatigue.

"Fine, what about you? Is everything okay?" Nyoko asked resisting the urge to hold him.

"Not really, no. In fact, it's all pretty bad Nyoko." He replied honestly. "Leader was murdered and this new guy…he's bringing in a lot of ex-cons. Really dangerous freaky guys. I'm ditching Tokyo for a while. The guy is planning some big battle, I think with the Yakuza and I want out. The gang was family before," he said softly his voice cracking. "But not anymore."

Nyoko felt her heart break at his words and touched his arm softly. "I am so sorry." She whispered, Leader had been a big brother and father figure to Riku after he was thrown out of his house in middle school. "What can I do to help?" She asked gently looking into his pain filled eyes.

He met her eyes and smiled gratefully. "Nothing. I don't want you dragged into it." He patted her cheek gently. "You got that little girl to take care of. You've always been kind to me Nyoko, and I won't repay that by putting you in danger." He reached forward to hug her then turned to go. "When I get back to Tokyo, I'll come see you." He called over his shoulder then disappeared around the corner.

Nyoko felt her heart squeeze tightly and couldn't help feeling that it was much worse than he'd told her. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried to calm down the panic rising in her throat.

_Everything will be fine. _She told herself.

But deep inside, she couldn't help but feel that it was a lie.

* * *

**_I hope you liked it! I know everyone is probably very shocked that Kosuke's date is a girl. It just was who I pictured her with. If you have problems with les/gay relationships, don't tell me, I'll just stop updating cause you've angered me lol. Anyway please review!_**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20!!! Things are coming up. I'm guessing there will only be five or so chapters left. MAYBE more. I don't know. I know the ending but getting there....I don't want to rush but I don't want to much filler crap. Anyway; continue to vote and review and I'll continue to update!!**

**Seriously....review. My least popular story is getting more reviews than this lately.**

* * *

Yasu couldn't _see _Nyoko was disturbed but he could smell it and feel it. He could also smell another males scent on her skin. He leaned towards her as she sat in her seat. "What happened?" He whispered urgently trying to calm his beast.

"Later." She whispered back and gave him a blinding smile as if he'd said something flirty.

Kosuke could also smell the emotional turmoil in Nyoko and waved down the waiter for their bill. "You guys go on ahead. Merry is coming home with us." She handed Yasu her car keys and answered his unasked question. "Dad suggested it." _With Naraku on the loose, I wasn't going to leave her out here alone…not when our relationship is common knowledge in some circles._

Yasu nodded and he and Nyoko said their good-byes quickly. When they were finally alone Yasu reached out a hand to cup Nyoko's cheek. "What happened?" He asked again.

She took a shuddering breath and leaned into his hand. "I saw a guy I used to go to school with and he looked upset so I went to talk to him. He is in a gang, has been since we first met, one of the better gangs actually. He said that a man appeared and killed his leader and is recruiting new people; people who originally wouldn't be allowed in the gang because of undesirable tendencies."

"Undesirable tendencies?" Yasu clarified taking a corner at way-to-fast-for-Nyoko.

"As I said the gang is one of the better ones. It's more like a fraternity for guys who had no home to go to, a way to keep them from falling into the other gangs." She explained and closed her eyes so as to not see the rush of streetlights as Yasu continued to speed dangerously. "My first thought was of Naraku though it could just be normal gang war stuff. I just get a very bad vibe." Her hand trailed across her necklace and she filled with reassuring warmth at the magic held in the flower.

"It's too much of a coincidence that a gang was taken over while all this is going on. Naraku always had to have lackeys. It sounds as if his preparing." Yasu growled and spun Kosuke's car into it's parking space.

Nyoko felt her throat close but forced out the question in her mind. "Preparing for what?"

Yasu opened his door then helped her from his seat before answering. "War."

* * *

Kagome rubbed Inuyasha's shoulders as he sat at her feet while the two of them, Miroku and Sango, and Kioko watched a movie. "So…what is the plot of this movie again?" Sango asked tilting her head up from where it had rested on Miroku's shoulder to look at Kioko.

Kioko laughed and waved her to wait a moment while she finished chewing her mouthful of popcorn. "It doesn't really have a plot as far as I'm concerned. But it claims it is based on an anchorman and anchorwoman who proved to the world a woman could be as good as a man."

Inuyasha smirked as Brick began crying about loving lamp. "I love this guy."

Kagome laughed and scratched Inuyasha's ears. "I'm not surprised you'd be a Steve Carell fan."

"So women now have the same power as men?" Sango asked. Though in the Demon Slayers village women and men had been equal because every hand was needed in battle, she knew it was very unusual.

Kioko shrugged. "It is much better than it was even as recently as ten years ago but there will always be people who think women can't do the same things as men. Though many of them don't retain that belief that after they meet anyone in _my _family."

Miroku laughed tightening his arm around Sangos shoulders. "That I don't doubt. Woe to anyone who tells your mother she can't do something."

"Exactly. I worked hard to get away from Naraku. I wasn't about to let someone else tell me what to do!" Kagura told them leaning on the open door frame.

"Not even Sesshomaru?" Miroku asked giving her a perverted smirk.

Kagura winked. "He earned the right to order me around."

"What's up mom?" Kioko asked pausing the movie.

"Yasu and Nyoko are home. They have things they want to talk with us about and Kosuke and Merry will be here soon." Kagura glared at Miroku. "I wanted to warn everyone because I don't trust that boy."

"Trust me about what?" Miroku asked slightly offended.

"Kioko you explain it. I'm going to go check and see if Nyoko needs anything." Kagura answered leaving as quietly as she'd come.

Miroku, Sango, Kagome, and Inuyasha looked at Kioko waiting for her explanation and she sighed running her hands through her long mane of hair. "Kosuke and Merry have been together for a while now. She knows about our demon blood though that is a more recent addition to their relationship."

"She?" Miroku jumped in. Kagome surprised them all by turning and punching him in the arm.

"That is exactly what she is talking about." Kagome scowled at him. "In this time, it is much more accepted to take partners of the same sex. Kioko means that Kosuke is dating another girl and knowing your perverted ways you need to not push things. Think of how Inuyasha is with me. Kosuke is likely to be the same about her lover."

Miroku nodded solemnly. "I understand. I have to admit though that it is uncomfortable to know you all think I am such a lowly person."

Kagome and Inuyasha rolled their eyes leaving the room, not for one instant believing he was serious. Sango leaned over and kissed his cheek before fleeing the room. Kioko raised an eyebrow at Miroku in question. "You're going to behave?"

Miroku nodded then smiled wickedly. "If I behave with everyone else, Sango doesn't mind me misbehaving with her so much." He fell off the couch as a handset slammed into his head.

Kioko turned to look over her shoulder and saw Sango disappear again out the doorway. "Idiot." She heard and began to laugh and followed. _Life was so much duller before they got here. _

* * *

Nyoko held Mika tightly to her chest and let a few tears of frustration slip from beneath her lashes. Yasu was downstairs with the others having a conference of war but right now she couldn't join them. A knock sounded at her door and before she answered it opened to reveal Kagome. Kagome very calmly shut the door and came over to remove Mika from Nyoko's grasp. She laid her in her crib then sat in front of Nyoko and opened her arms. Nyoko cried out and threw herself into Kagome's eyes and cried out the tears that had been building inside of her.

Kagome stroked Nyoko's head and rocked her gently as she cried. Her mother had done this for her thousands of times when she was upset for whatever reason and knew how much better it felt when all the tears were done. When Nyoko finally pulled away Kagome handed her a cloth to wipe her face. "Feel better?"

Nyoko nodded and clenched her hands and glared at the fireplace in the room. With a whoosh and flash of heat the logs in the fire place lit on fire and began to burn cheerfully. With a flick of her wrist two smaller flames pulled out of the fireplace and came to float in front of her head.

"Good control." Kagome remarked reaching out to the flames and feeling the heat from them.

Nyoko fanned the fingers on her left hand and the left ball spread into flat sheet of fire. She made a small circle with her index finger on her right hand and made the right ball twirl like a small cyclone. "I've been practicing every night." She closed her eyes and clapped her hands together making the two little flames explode like fireworks before disappearing. "Yasu trains me with the Naginata every day and I work on the fire every night." **(A/N: It's been like two or three weeks since she first got the Naginata. I know it seems like it's been only a few days but it would be boring if I wrote this happened his day, this happened this day so…time skips occasionally. Suspend your annoyance and go with it lol)**

Kagome wrapped her arms gently around Nyoko. "I'm proud of you."

"How's it going with you? Weren't you trying to use guns?" Nyoko asked wiping her cheek gently. Kagome had sat in on a few of Nyoko's practices just to watch but had disappeared often with Sesshomaru to practice her own fighting.

"Yeah I decided that I didn't want to use them. It required a lot more work to make a bullet carry my power than an arrow I actually touch. So I've been working on arrow speed and accuracy and Sesshomaru has been doing hand to hand with me. I'm using the same method of putting my powers into my arrows and using my hands to carry the powers." Kagome explained scratching the back of her head.

"That's great Kagome!" Nyoko squealed hugging Kagome tightly. She had heard Kagome discussing with Inuyasha how useless she felt one time. Inuyasha had told her she wasn't useless but Nyoko could understand how Kagome felt that way. She had felt that way when she'd lived and her parents had died in that car crash. Shaking her head to clear the thoughts from her mind she gave Kagome a big smile. "So did you meet Merry?"

Kagome laughed and nodded. "She's great! First thing she did when she came in was tell Inuyasha that he was lucky to have gotten a hot girl like me to marry him."

Nyoko laughed delightedly. "Kosuke and Yasu said they were going to have who has the hotter girlfriend competitions. Maybe Inuyasha and Miroku should join in on it as well! It will definitely be a morale booster for everyone." She giggled peeking over at her sleeping sister. A grin split her face at a random thought. At Kagome's inquiring look she giggled. "If Shippo and Mika married and your child and Miroku and Sango's married we would all be related."

Kagome fell back on the bed laughing. "You plan ahead don't you?" The two of them fell into a fit of giggles at Nyoko's joke and then began to laugh even harder when Yasu and Inuyasha entered the room with Merry.

"Do I want to know?" Yasu asked looking between the two girls.

"_I_ don't." Inuyasha declared moving to help Kagome to her feet. "Merry volunteered to watch the kid while you two joined us in the war party."

"The dog brigade seem to think as the only untalented human here I am fit to watch the baby. Not that I didn't figure out there are two old humans, Kagome's mom and brother hiding out somewhere in the house. Kagome, your mom, is hysterical, she came in and told us that your grandpa and the old lady were flirting it up." Merry laughed.

"Are you serious?" Kagome asked shocked. Her mom had said nothing like that when she'd talked to her earlier.

"Yeah apparently she walked in on some old people kissing." She glanced at Yasu and Inuyasha and laughed, "old humans anyway."

"I never asked how you learned about them being demons." Nyoko pointed out getting off the bed. "How did you?"

Merry followed them towards the door laughing. "Kosuke and I were on a date and some guys tried to mug us. They were doped up on a bunch of drugs and she did the whole red eyes, dripping acid claws thing. They peed themselves and ran off and I saw the deep dark demon inside of her." She laughed. "Then she purred and licked me."

Nyoko giggled and kissed Yasu's cheek as they headed down the hall. "You have a very interesting family."

"Of course." He smiled back at her. "When can I ask you to join it?"

Nyoko turned bright red and Kagome burst into soft laughter. The laughter died quickly as they entered the war room and the sober atmosphere affected them. _So we really are preparing for war. _Nyoko thought as she took her seat. _I hope Riku is safely away._

_

* * *

_

**I hope you liked it! Please review. Like I said, pretend since her first arrival to Sesshomaru's its been a few weeks. Merry was out of town which is why it took til now for her to join them. That will be explained in the next chapter though lol. **

**Bye! **


	21. Chapter 21

_**Chapter 21 I hope you like this chapter. I know it was long in coming! Enjoy please!!**_

* * *

"Nyoko could you please tell us the whole of your conversation with your friend?" Kagura asked as Nyoko and Kagome sat in the middle of the table.

Nyoko nodded and quickly repeated as much of the conversation word for word as she could. Her fingers latched around her necklace and in conclusion she added, "I know that it could simply be gang wars but I feel that its more than that." She felt Kagome touch her arm gently and Yasu squeeze her thigh in support and it brought tears to her eyes. For so long after her parents died she'd felt alone, only Ms. Nozoma had been around for a while and then Yasu but other than that she'd had no one.

Kagome could see the fear in Nyoko's eyes, the terror. Her eyes had probably looked the same once upon a time but Nyoko had not gone though battle as she had, as they all had. She probably never hurt anyone intentionally before let alone killed someone. But here she was…training in dangerous weapons and magic to help and protect them. "I agree with Nyoko. It stinks of something Naraku would do. After all, he started as a bandit and killed their leader to take over. A gang is much the same as a band of bandits, no offense to your friend." Kagome added giving Nyoko a small smile and receiving one in return.

"And timing is too much of a coincidence." Miroku murmured.

"It's kind of like the old days when Naraku would throw all these low level demons at us." Sango continued.

"But what exactly is he planning?" Kosuke asked them in general. "Is he just out to kill us for past hatred or does he have some plan?"

"If he is as stupid as I remember, he probably wants to take over the world. He probably doesn't realize that demons are hiding." Inuyasha snorted. It was hard for him to deal with the fact that he had to wear modern clothing and cover his ears when he went out. A hat on his ears muffled the sounds and he didn't like it. He couldn't imagine Naraku even noticing.

"If it wouldn't endanger our world and a lot of innocent people I'd send him to the police or a mental institution." Sesshomaru growled.

"But it would do both unfortunately." Kagura sighed. "Really all we can do is just wait for him to make the next move. It'd be suicide to go looking for him, especially if as we believe, he has what amounts to an army to back him up."

"So what do we do then?" Nyoko asked studying each of their faces.

"We step up training and wait for him to come to us." Sesshomaru decided. "Yasu continue Nyoko's naginata's training. Kagome, you, Shippo and Kosuke make with her or dealing with fire and I will continue to help with your own powers. Kagura continue with Sango and Miroku. Kioko…" He paused then sighed. "You can spar with Inuyasha."

Kioko jumped to her feet in joy. "Really!?"

Inuyasha frowned. "Why is my fur on end?"

Kioko left to prepare for the next day of 'joyous fun' and Sesshomaru smirked. "You'll just have to wait and find out."

"That's evil Fluffy." Inuyasha grumbled.

Kagome laughed quietly. "Everyone get to bed. We'll get to work early in the morning."

* * *

Kagome stood uncertainly at the door that separated her room from Inuyasha's and stared at it confused by her own thoughts. _It's not like I intend to jump his bones. I just want to sleep in the same room as him tonight. We slept together practically every night in the past. _She nodded determined and finally knocked lightly on the unlocked door.

Inuyasha opened it revealing himself wearing a wife-beater and sweatpants with his long hair brushed back. "Kagome?" He asked confused.

She smiled and held out a hand that just barely trembled. "I miss sleeping with you near me. Would you stay with me tonight?" She asked nervous. It wasn't that she thought he'd deny her, but she wasn't usually so forward.

His eyes softened and he moved forward to take her hand. "Of course." He led her gently to the bed and laid behind her atop the covers he'd tucked her into and squeezed her hand. "So what's bothering you?"

Kagome chuckled wiping her eyes gently on the pillow case. "Can't get anything passed you can I?"

"Keh. As if." He replied studying her face.

After a long moment she sighed. "Naraku has infected the body of a boy who used to be my friend. If we fight Naraku and kill him…won't Hojo die as well?"

Inuyasha took a while answering. This was something no one had considered and Kagome hadn't brought up in front of the others. They'd been so focused on the fact that Naraku was back, they'd ignored _how_ he'd come back. "Probably." He admitted then began to panic as tears filled her eyes. "But maybe you can force him from Hojo with your powers." He tried to reassure her.

"You think?" Kagome whispered sniffling. She gazed up at him her heart in her eyes.

"If anyone could do it, it'd be you Kagome." He told her gruffly. He stiffened as she threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank you Inu." She whispered and finally let herself relax. "I love you." She murmured seconds before falling asleep.

Inuyasha gave the sleeping girl a small smile. "Keh, I love you Kagome."

* * *

The next morning Kioko kidnapped Inuyasha rather early and Kagome made her way to Nyoko's room. She grinned when she caught Yasu leaning against the doorframe and studying the still sleeping Nyoko. "She'd hit you if she caught you spying." Kagome taunted quietly leaning against the other doorjamb.

Nyoko was covered with the thick white comforter and her hair fanned out across the pillows like black wings and her face calm and beautiful in repose.

"I worry if I hadn't met her, would all this still happen to her?" Yasu asked quietly. "Did I bring her to this war?"

Kagome shook her head. "Not anymore than Inuyasha brought me. She would be much worse off without you." She squeezed his arm. "I'm going to get Kosuke and then we'll meet you and Nyoko in the dojo."

Yasu nodded and listened to her go before entering the room. Mika cooed at him as he bent over her crib and smiled at her. "Hey beautiful." He whispered and lifted her into his arms. It amazed him how quickly he and Mika had taken to each other. When he'd first thought she was Nyoko's he'd been hesitant but willing to accept her, when he'd heard the whole story he was even more ready to accept her into his family but she'd grabbed onto his heart and demanded his love. He snuggled her against his neck and rested his nose in her downy hair smelling the gentle scent of baby.

Nyoko opened her eyes slowly and blinked in the soft light of her room. She turned her head to peer at Mika's crib and her breath caught in her throat. Yasu stood by Mika's crib cuddling the small infant close to his chest and seemingly was lost in the moment. Oh she loved that man. She had tried to push it away, force it to slow to an understandable speed rather than the breakneck pace with which she'd fallen. If he wanted her, as he claimed he did, he'd taken so many pains to prove it. She couldn't help but cave under the devotion he held for her. "Yasu." She called out gently sitting up and patting the blankets next to her.

He gae her one of his gentle smiles and sat beside her and felt his heart swell when she let her head drop to his shoulder and gave a finger to Mika. "Good morning."

"Morning." She replied yawning. Her hair was a bit tousled and her face was still soft with sleep and Yasu thought she'd never looked so beautiful. "Whose Mika going to be with as we work today?"

"Ms. Higurashi and Merry agreed to watch her together. Souta is in charge of the old people." He chuckled. "We should go down soon."

She nodded and slipped out of the bed to the bathroom. She paused and looked back at him, her eyebrows raised. "How'd you get in my room?"

He laughed nervously and disappeared out the door with a giggling Mika.

* * *

**_Review please!!! Training is all next chapter!!  
_**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

**I hope you enjoy!! Only a few more chapters left!!  
**

* * *

Kagome looked up from where she knelt whispering when her brother and Shippo. "Yasu, we're starting with fire and I have an idea I want to test."

"Alright." He replied nudging Nyoko to go forward.

"Outside there are three fires. I want to figure out how you can deal with them." Kagome explained leading her out back where the fires roared. "First can you touch them all?"

Nyoko glanced at Kagome questioningly and walked up to the first one. It appeared to be a normal fire and she reached out slowly. It was warm and tickled her skin but she had no problems reaching into the heart of the flames.

"Next one." Mrs. Nozama's voice came and Nyoko saw her and the old demon, Totosai watching from a large stone bench.

She wandered over to the next and noticed the fire was blue and didn't seem to burn the wood it was anchored to. She reached out to touch it and she felt it snap at her, warning her away. "This one doesn't want me to touch it. It's a bit warm but the fire…I can feel it snap at me."

"Interesting." Kagome murmured stroking the small fox child's hair.

Nyoko stared at the last fire and approached slowly. This one felt more powerful, more destructive and live. It leapt out to curl itself around her arms and slide to stroke her cheeks and she frowned as her shirt began to smolder. "Get back to the wood." She scolded hoping her tone would cause it to listen. Like a sullen child it pulled slowly away and back to it's spot.

"That's my girl." Yasu laughed crossing his arms in pride.

Nyoko smiled over at him and moved to an equal distance from them all. "Now what?"

"We wanted to see if you could deal with different demon fires." Kagome explained, "The first fire was normal, the second was Shippo's fox fire, and the third was Totosai's demon fire."

Yasu nodded sagely. "It is a good thought. Who knows who Naraku has at his side. It's better to show her the various kinds while we can." He huffed as Nyoko elbowed him.

"Don't talk like I'm not here." She told him. "What's the difference between Shippo's fire and Totosai's?" She asked touching her necklace. It's humming increased like a cat's purr and she felt a replying echo from Totosai's fire.

"My fire is called Fox Fire." Shippo explained. "It's less of an actual fire and more an illusion, a spiritual fire. I once used it to hold flames away from Kagome and it can burn but it's weak." He shrugged. "When I'm older though it will gain in strength."

"Adult Fox Fire can incinerate another demon instantly if the Fox chooses." Totosai assured Shippo. "I am an elemental fire demon. I pull my fire from the earth itself. I used to live in a volcano." He sighed wistfully. "It was so warm there."

"Anyway…" Mrs. Nozama rolled her eyes. "Now we know how you'll react, we'll get out of your hair while you practice." Sota followed after them with Shippo on his shoulder and looked disgusted.

Kagome chuckled and winked at Nyoko. "Sota's having to babysit them because they keep lighting things on fire and trying to use weapons. Souta constantly has to report them to our mother."

Nyoko chuckled as well. "Where's your grandfather?" She asked noticing he hadn't been there.

"Making me sutra's apparently." Kagome laughed again.

"Alright I'm here!" Kosuke announced coming outside. Her clothes were normal, an open button down over a white tank-top and khakis, but her hair was up in pigtails that hung down the sides of her head to her back.

Yasu cracked up and fled to a safe distance as she glared at him. "You just look so…so anime!"

"I'll sew your mouth shut." She growled. Then she shook her head when Kagome and Nyoko gave her shocked looks. "I'm still a bit tired."

Kagome nodded understandingly and turned back to Totosai's fire. "Let's see your control of fire Nyoko."

"What do you…" Nyoko started and yelped as Kagome stuck her hand into the fire. Almost instantly Nyoko threw a hand out and yanked a mental rope between herself and the fire, pulling it away from Kagome's hand violently. It spiraled into a tall column and Nyoko felt it grumbling at her unnecessary violence. "Sorry." She whispered moving over to let it cuddle around her hands in apology.

"Well you can physically move it." Kagome summed up feeling the slight stinging on her palm and stretched her fingers to relieve the feeling. She ducked as Yasu moved to smack her in the back of the head. "You learn quickly under pressure." She told him and shoved him away playfully.

"I'm telling Inuyasha on you." Yasu scolded seriously. "My heart nearly stopped." Totosai's fire would have burned her hand _off_ if she'd gotten a full touch on it and been unable to use her powers to guard her hand. Something was off about Kagome today.

"Please. It was just my hand," Kagome laughed. "I feel reckless today." She admitted at his continuing frown. She frowned back when he rested the back of his hand on her forehead.

"You're a little warm. Probably a stress fever." He moved as Kosuke came over to rest a hand on her head as well. "Go take a hot bath and head back to bed alright?" He put a finger to her lips as she started to argue. "I'll get you in time for your own training."

Kosuke nodded. "Go on Auntie. We'll be fine."

Kagome sighed defeated and retreated back to her room. She'd felt better last night after talking to Inuyasha but this morning she'd gone back to worrying and felt that soon something bad would happen. The house of cards would come tumbling down.

Nyoko leaned against Yasu's arm and frowned. "Will she be alright?"

"Yes. For us it's been five hundred years since their battles, but it's been weeks for them. Not to mention…the last time they went against Naraku…Kagome died." His voice dropped and his eyes turned to meet his sisters who looked back at him with perfect understanding, while Nyoko's hand flew to her mouth at the reminder. "She's probably terrified of what might happen if she has to fight against him again." His thoughts also went to the fact that Naraku had killed her family and taken over a friends body that Kagome never talked about but probably never forgot.

"The best thing we can do now is to train so when the war is over, none of us are dead." Kosuke told Nyoko softly.

Nyoko nodded and turned back to the fires her hands clenched in determination. "Let's get to work then."

* * *

"So why does Sesshomaru want me to spar with you?" Inuyasha asked as he looked across the clearing at his niece. "You surpass him in sword skills?"

"Nope!" Kioko replied smiling widely. She pulled out two bokkens from her bag and tossed one to her uncle. "He always told me I lacked form and grace in sword work. Kosuke and Yasu got all of those skills." She giggled at his disgruntled face. "I can do routines and patterns flawlessly but get me out of the steps and I lose the flow."

"So why…" Inuyasha started feeling more and more as if he was the butt of a joke. He leapt to the side as Kioko charged without warning. She spun instantly and jumped towards him her bokken slamming at his head. He caught it on the tilted side of his weapon and let her begin to slide off. He felt shock as her back foot came slamming back into his cheek.

"Dad always told me my fighting was like your style. 'Lacking style and grace, but powerful and unpredictable.' He'd always tell me. Plus I developed something my siblings weren't able to with the abilities passed down to us."

"What's that?" Inuyasha asked leaning against the tree he'd been slammed into. A faint smile danced across his lips. This was starting to look up. An evil smirk touched her lips and Inuyasha felt the wind pick up around him. _This smell…_he thought and leapt to his feet.

She sliced the thick but simple wood weapon in his direction. "WIND SCAR!"

* * *

Sango glanced towards the explosion from her perch on the roof and grinned at Kagura. "Your house is so lively."

"Of course it is." Kagura replied carefully tugging the winds around her as she trained Miroku. Today's training was dodging, quickness of speed, and balance. She had Miroku and Sango stand on the roof one at a time, the highest most slanted and pointed part of the roof, and dodge the paint balls she had fly at them with her wind. They'd thought it would be easy but Kagura had stepped up her wind control in the last five hundred years to the point where she could make a bowling ball fall slower than a feather and slam a needle through an oak tree without stirring the leaves.

Sango had a few splatters here and there, but she was better at balancing than Miroku who had gotten too used to using a staff to help his balance. "Whose that Kagura?" She interrupted glancing down at the long driveway when movement had caught her attention.

Kagura peered down at the driveway and the man racing up it and frowned. "One of our guards. I better go see what's going on." She leapt from the roof and landed gently on one of her feathers as it raced up to meet her. She felt a thump as Sango leapt after her. "Don't do that."

"You were paying attention, you wouldn't have let me fall." Sango grinned cheekily.

"Yes but if Miroku tries he won't make it." Kagura pointed out as they dropped faster and Miroku peered over at them.

"STAY THERE!" Sango commanded and sighed in relief as he backed away. "He's going to jump isn't he?"

"Probably." Kagura replied and set them down on the ground just as Miroku leapt off. "Are you sure you want to marry such an idiotic man?" She asked sending the feather up to catch the stupid man.

"Makes my life more entertaining." Sango admitting her cheeks blushing bright red.

"I guess that's true." She turned to the guard as he reached them and bowed low. "What is it Mushin?"

"Lady Kagura, a body was left at the bottom of the driveway. It was cut up severely but the wounds are a message to all of you." He said his face down towards the ground.

"What was the message?" Kagura asked gesturing for Sango to fetch Sesshomaru.

"It says, 'Come find me if you can.' And an address was written on it." He told her. He hesitated then bowed lower. "The body smells of the young miss."

"What?" Kagura jumped in surprise.

"There is a lingering scent of Miss. Nyoko, as if she had come in contact with him the last few days." The guard explained.

"Well shit." Kagura muttered almost positive she knew who it was that had been delivered to them. "Bring the body up here and to the south dojo. Wrap it in something first though." She ordered and ran into the house. Behind her, Miroku finally reached the ground and followed behind the guard to help.

_Who else is going to die because of Naraku…because of their connection with us? _Kagura asked herself as she found Sesshomaru and Sango heading back outside. _Naraku…we will hunt you down and kill you. _She promised her eyes glinting with unshed tears of frustration and hatred.

* * *

Kagome opened her eyes and stared at the person across the room from her. She'd felt their presence in her sleep and began to swim to consciousness but she hadn't expected this.

"I thought you were dead." She murmured slowly sitting up.

"I am." The soft voice replied as the small figure moved closer.

"Then how are you here?" Kagome whispered her eyes meeting those black depths.

"I came to warn you. Naraku will take you and Nyoko away from your protectors." The voice was as calm as ever and the face expressionless.

"Why are you warning me?" Kagome asked gently leaning her head onto her palms.

"I have always watched over you since I died." Was the reply. "Your needed, Kagome. It's time to wake up."

Kagome's eyes flew open as the words floated away and a knock came on her bedroom door. "Yes?" She croaked lifting her head.

"We are needed downstairs. Immediately." Nyoko told her sticking her head into the room.

Kagome nodded and climbed from the bed. She paused to glance at the window where the ghost had stood in her dream. _Kanna…

* * *

_

**HA! Bet you weren't expecting that! Well maybe you guessed who it was but I bet you didn't expect her to visit Kagome in her dreams did you? Justification: Kanna helped Kagome when Kagome got the glass in her eye in the manga after she died, so Kanna is now a part of Kagome's mind and always there to help.**

**REVIEW!!!  
**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

**REALLY REALLY SHORT! Sorry about that. I wanted to get this out of the way before the battles began the next chapter!!!  
**

* * *

Inuyasha stared at the path of devastation on the ground and then turned to his giggling niece. "How in the world did you do that?" He asked leaping from his branch to stand next to her.

"Mom is able to control the wind. All three of us have limited control over it as well. Because of my lack of sword skills I began to incorporate more of the wind control into my fighting and have the ability to fly briefly and do impossible twists mid-air. I also accidently made a wind scar once and eventually perfected it." Kioko grinned proudly. "Dad wanted you to go against me not necessarily because of that though. I think that was him just being proud of me, but because I have so close a fighting style to you. I have just a bit more unpredictability and agility and you can use me to perfect the way you fight."

Inuyasha was silent after her long speech and then a smirk came across his face. "Alright. First to get in twenty hits wins." He moved away to get a good distance in.

"What do they win?" Kioko asked settling down in a crouch.

"We'll think of something." Inuyasha shrugged after a moment.

"The loser has to follow one order of the winner." Kioko decided.

Inuyasha nodded in agreement and they flew at each other. Kioko was indeed fast and the ability to twist the wind around her body made her even faster. If she was able to do Kagura's Dance of Blades from the air as she fought, Inuyasha knew he'd be down in minutes. As it was he was having a hard time avoiding all of her hits. It was five to seven her lead. His arm bled sluggishly from where a cracked piece of wood had stabbed him but he'd been able to fling her into a tree with his rebound strike.

"You need to return to the house." Yasu told them dropping into the clearing.

"When we finish." Kioko replied laughing as Inuyasha caught one of her kicks on his sword and threw her back.

"Now." Yasu commanded and the two combatants froze at the tone in his voice. "There's been contact with Naraku."

Kioko looked up at her brother and nodded. "Alright Yasu." Her voice was quiet and Inuyasha finally noticed that though Yasu was the baby, he was the alpha of the children. _Was it because he was male_? Inuyasha wondered but said nothing as he followed behind the two siblings back to the house.

Kosuke stood by an outer door her hands tightly clenched beside her. "Is there no way to keep Nyoko from knowing?" Her voice drifted back to them.

Yasu winced and Kioko slid her hand into his in a comforting fashion. "It's her friend isn't it?"

"We believe so. The smell is very similar but…there's a lot of blood covering up his normal scent." Yasu replied and they stepped onto the mat beside Kosuke.

"The face is the only thing untouched." Sesshomaru noted setting the covering back onto the body. "Kagome and Nyoko are just about here."

Yasu and Inuyasha moved towards the main doors and when they opened went to their women. Kagome immediately noticed the faces and feeling in the air and set her mouth into a thin line of determination. At Inuyasha's shaken head she said nothing.

Nyoko could tell something was up but she was unsure what it was. "What's wrong with everyone? What happened?"

"Nyoko…" Kagura started wringing her hands slightly. She opened her mouth once or twice more and then shook her head and looked away. "There is no way to say this softly." She muttered to herself.

Yasu turned Nyoko to look at him and met her eyes squarely. "A body was delivered to our house. We are afraid it might be your friend." His voice was soft with regret but he never wavered in looking away from her.

Nyoko felt a roaring in her ears and she turned to the center of the room to see the covered lump on the floor. "Riku?" She whispered and the room was so silent even her breathless words echoed.

"We believe so. But none of us know what he looks like." Sesshomaru told her quietly.

Kioko knelt beside the body and pulled the tarp away from the head to reveal the pale features of Riku.

Nyoko stumbled away from Yasu and landed on her knees. "He-he wanted out of the gang. He wanted to leave." She whimpered. She felt a bubbling up inside of her and with a scream it ripped out of her body whipping up around her in ghostly flames. Yasu stared in horror as Nyoko's pain manifested around her but before he could move to her Kagome launched herself at Nyoko and wrapped her arms tightly around the girl sending her priestess powers into her and into a protective barrier around them.

Kagome had known Nyoko would take the hit hard and that her powers might fly out in attack so when Nyoko had lost control she was ready. The flames licked at her skin stinging slightly but it wasn't trying to burn her, as Kagome had once remarked, it knew her. Her powers kept the rest of the room safe from the powerful flames and sought out the consciousness of Nyoko who had fled into her mind. When she tapped it she sent out calming wave after calming wave. Slowly Nyoko began to calm and pulled the flames back into her.

She looked up from Kagome's shoulder where her head had been tucked and her tear filled eyes met Yasu. But it wasn't only pain that filled her beautiful eyes. It was hatred and determination. "Naraku is dead."

* * *

**Everyone hates the bastard lol!!! Well I hope that you enjoyed the shortness of that chapter. Chapter 24 won't take a week I promise!!!**

**Review!!!  
**


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24.**

**Enjoy, I'm sick and lonely so I figured I'd just post this.  
**

* * *

The directions carved onto Riku's body had told Inuyasha and the others to meet with Naraku in one week's time at an abandoned hot spring high in the mountains outside of Tokyo. That week was spent relentlessly practicing and honing their skills.

Nyoko had learned to control not only normal fire and Totosai's fire, but had beat down the barrier that kept the fox fire from accepting her and bent it to her will as well. Her naginata skills could keep up with a mid range demon's speed and power but she had no chance against high level demons such as the Inu clan. Kagome had perfected her aim and priestess control, she'd had to stop working with Sesshomaru because she had burned one of his arms badly enough she'd had to heal it immediately. And Inuyasha's sword skills had improved immensely. Miroku and Sango were finally at a level that could keep up with the lower high level demons.

But were their improvements enough? Only the battle would tell and they stared up at the ostentatious and decrepit house ahead of them where Naraku waited.

"He isn't alone." Kosuke whispered her ears perked up. "There are many mixed breeds, most of the ones from the underground I believe."

"Underground?" Nyoko whispered up to Yasu in query.

"The underground are demons who don't live by the laws my father laid down. They are fugitives and forbidden entrance to the surface." Yasu explained quietly.

"And…wow. Four full demons." Kosuke continued her nose twitching. "A wolf, a snake, a vulture, and…a panther."

"Panther?" Sesshomaru asked his lips curling up in a smirk.

"She smells of ice." Yasu remarked and saw the glint in his father's eyes increase.

"Oh Naraku made a big mistake right there." Sesshomaru grinned. "We ready to go to battle then?" He glanced over the group of warriors and felt a flash of nostalgia. It had been centuries since his family had gone to war. The last Demon Rebellion had been one hundred and fifty years ago.

"Naraku will die today." Kagome promised her hand clenching tightly on her bow. "Nyoko remember, you are to stay by my side." Kagome told the younger girl holding her hand firmly. "If Naraku runs off we track him _together._ Inuyasha and Yasu will back us up."

Nyoko nodded and tightened her grip on the staff of her naginata. "I'll be right by your side." Nyoko promised.

"Then let's go to war." Inuyasha declared and stepped up to his brothers side. They slid open the gate and stared at the masses of demons in the courtyard.

"Oooohh…he branched out." Kagura chuckled. "We have demons from other countries as well."

"What did Naraku promise you, to bring you so far from your homes to this battle?" Kioko asked her voice rising over the din of those in the room.

"A world that accepts us." One partial demon yelled. He had long rabbit ears and rabbit feet but the rest of him appeared to be human.

"That will never happen." Kagome called out moving to the front. "Not only because Naraku will kill you as soon as you have done his dirty work but because humans can't accept each others differences. What makes you think they'll accept you?" Her voice was harsh and blunt, but it was honest.

"What do you mean Naraku will kill us?" A small boy with bat wings from his back asked as he hid behind a larger fuller bat figure. His voice was shaking and immediately the gang hated the one who brought such a young boy to war.

"I was one of Naraku's companions when he first tried to take over the world. He tried to kill me and it was only the grace of Lord Sesshomaru that I survived." Kagura told them her voice full of passion. "I will kill anyone who gets in the way of my vengeance but you do not have to fight. If you wish to leave please do so now."

The young bat and a few others headed towards the exit. Taunts followed them but the young bat was grabbed and held. "You aren't going anywhere." The older snarled and smacked the boy across its face.

The younger fell to the ground as the elder was hit with an arrow and began to disintegrate. He glanced up wide eyed at Kagome whose bow was hanging slightly to the side. "Anyone else want to stop the smart ones from leaving?"

"Who are you?" One of the large ox demons in the back asked starting forward. "Naraku told us there are no more priestesses."

"I am the Guardian of the Shikon Jewel." Murmurs of astonishment drifted everywhere and some began to quickly retreat. "And personally, I don't understand why you don't want to live under Lord Sesshomaru's rules. They are fair and for those of you who do not appear human, he has doctors who can do surgery, and foxes to make concealing spells."

"That are free to his subjects." Kioko added leaning forward on her sword. "We want our subjects to be happy and live freely."

"That's not what Naraku said!" Another cried out. "He told us that you want to kill us and be the only demons there are."

"Did Naraku also tell you that he was the great enemy we fought five-hundred years ago?" Inuyasha called out hefting his sword onto his shoulder. "The enemy your parents told you of."

"That's _Inuyasha_." A few whispers raced across the room.

"What do you know…I'm famous." Inuyasha muttered to Kagome.

Yasu leaned forward and grinned. "Told you guys that you were legends." A few more demons left but the rest were ready and eager to fight.

"You guys go on ahead. Miroku and I can handle these low levels." Sango said loudly enough to carry to the edges of the room.

Their names were whispered as well and then one partial demon strode forward. "Enough! No mere human can kill us."

"Who said we were mere humans?" Miroku asked and launched forward into the enemies with Sango close behind him.

Yasu wrapped an arm around Nyoko and Inuyasha around Kagome and the eight of them leapt to the back of the room and through the next door.

Four full demons stood waiting for them. Kagome fired a quick arrow over her shoulder purifying a good chunk of those fighting Sango and Miroku sending their now human forms tumbling unconsciously to the floor before the door slammed shut.

* * *

A man strode forward and scattered feathers as he went. "I heard your oh so inspiring words to that fodder out there. I'm not here for a better world. I'm here to take _Lord _Sesshomaru's throne." His voice was mocking and angry and high pitched. Kioko, Inuyasha, and Nyoko giggled. He was a vulture as declared by the feathers that stood out around his head.

"Good for you." Kagura said clapping slightly. "It's good to have impossible dreams."

"I'll show you impossible!" The vulture screamed and started forward only to be brought up short by a green skinned demon.

"Slow down Daiki." The demon hissed. Her body was voluptuous and would have been attractive if it wasn't for...well the face was extremely snake like. It was not cute. "They are just trying to provoke you into attacking."

"Looks like they were doing a good job, Fumiko." A third demon remarked coming forward. He was a short old man and his tail swished behind him. "Me I am after Kouga's throne. But Kouga didn't even bother to show up."

"Kouga had better things to do than take out the trash." Kioko laughed settling down on her haunches as she studied her opponents.

"Trash is it?" The wolf asked tilting his head to the side. "I am Goro the wolf, Daiki the vulture, Fumiko the snake, and our fourth person is…"

"Toran." Sesshomaru greeted his lips tilting in a smirk.

"Oh Lord Sesshomaru." The tall softly attractive woman greeted her blue eyes lighting up and her blue hair swishing behind her. "It's been a long time."

"Hi Toran!" Kagome greeted leaning around Sesshomaru to greet the other demon.

"Lady Kagome." Toran bowed slightly. "Naraku awaits you in the next chamber. You and your guardian should go ahead."

Yasu and Nyoko followed Kagome and Inuyasha as they went to the next door. "We'll meet you outside."

"Who says you can leave?" Fumiko shouted and sent out a blast of energy towards them only for it to be destroyed by a gust of wind. She glared back at Kagura who simply smiled.

"You are our opponents."

* * *

**Read and Review!!**

**You like the random characters popping in? LOL  
**


	25. Chapter 25

**I had just uploaded a page to ask you all for advice in the next chapter when I realized, I never posted this one!!!**

**I am so sorry!! I had it done and I forgot about it with all the drama that follows my life lol. Whoever said Leo's attracting drama was a myth, doesn't know of my life lol.**

**Anyway, enjoy Chapter 25**

* * *

Kagome felt Nyoko press against her back as the two Inu's stood ahead of them.

"Welcome." Hojo's voice came from the back of the room where an ancient statue stood. He came around the side, his form haggard and thin and sickly. The demons that he was pulling into his body were killing Hojo's human form.

"Naraku." Inuyasha snarled tightening his grip on his sword.

"Inuyasha. I have a gift for you." Hojo's face twisted into an evil smirk and Kagome tightened her hands as the shaft of her bow. Hojo reached up and pulled a sutra from the back of the statue and with a tremble it exploded outwards.

When the dust cleared a massive dragon was coiled across from them and it's bloody thirsty eyes locked onto the two Inus who had shielded the women. "Blood of that cursed Dog General." It hissed and began to rear backwards. "How fortunate my first meal in a millennium will be you."

"Did Grandpa have any friends?" Yasu asked unsheathing his sword slowly and moving in front of Nyoko.

"Did he kill any of his enemies is what I want to know." Inuyasha muttered. "Kagome, Nyoko, stay out of the way."

Hojo laughed. "Goodbye." He turned and went out a door they hadn't noticed and Inuyasha cursed.

"Shit he's getting away!"

"He won't for long." Kagome said quietly and linked hands with Nyoko. They began to creep along the edge of the walls away from their guardians and sent reassuring smiles back as they reached the door. "Follow us soon."

"Kagome!" Inuyasha called shocked as they disappeared through the door. He cursed as he had to leap over a blast of energy at them. "Are they stupid?!?" He tried to deflect a swipe of the dragons claws only to be thrown into a wall.

"I think they have a plan." Yasu told him sliding beneath the swing of the dragon's tail. He was also worried, probably more so than Inuyasha, but the quickest way to go after then was to kill this enemy.

"Kagome always has a plan." Inuyasha growled standing and gripping his sword tightly. "Well…let's kill this bastard." He hefted the sword and charged forward. "Wind scar!"

* * *

Miroku stood calmly in the center of ten partial demons' who watched him warily. "Now, now, are you sure you want to do this?" He asked idling twirling his staff.

"Shut up human." One of them snarled. A few glanced back across the room where Sango was taking out tens at a time with hits from her Hiraikotsu. They had thought this man would be easier to attack. The Monk With The Cursed Hand had been what his name was before, but he didn't have the cursed hand anymore it appeared, so that made him rather useless. "Get him!" The pseudo leader shouted and they charged at Miroku.

Miroku adjusted his grip on his staff and began to pull sutra's from his pocket. He launched them at those ahead of him and they hit the ground paralyzed. With a fluid twist he smacked the end of his staff across one opponent's cheek and flipped up the other end into another's chin. The last four were also easily dealt with and he planted paralyzing sutra's on them as well and decided to just watch Sango.

"Sango my love?" He called out sitting on the back of a large part bear demon.

"Yes Miroku?" She replied spinning to kick a demon in the chest as it tried to sneak up on her.

"Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" He saw her flush and a shit-eating grin crossed his face.

"Is now really the time to ask?" She growled gutting her eyes briefly towards him. Her face paled and it gave Miroku enough warning to turn to the side, the knife going through his arm rather than his back.

Miroku smacked a sutra on the small toad demon's forehead and turned back to Sango. "Why not?"

With a sigh Sango knocked out her last opponent and began to go to Miroku's side. "You have awful timing."

"That's not a 'no'." He replied grinning as she knelt to examine his wound.

With a blush Sango met his eyes. "Didn't I already say yes you pervert."

Miroku lifted one hand to trail his fingertips along her cheek and leaned down. "That was 500 years ago. I was tired of waiting." He pressed his lips gently against hers.

"You're such a pervert." She told him blushing deep red. "Who kisses someone in a room full of unconscious enemies?" She tried to pull away only to find herself yanked to his chest.

"I do my beautiful demon slayer." He whispered and kissed her deeper. When they came up for air Sango smacked him and huffed as she bound his injury. "Now…let's tie up these guys and go help the rest of them."

"Do we have that much rope?" Sango asked glancing around at the few dozen unconscious enemies.

"No but Kagura taught me a spell another monk invented a few centuries back." Miroku replied grinning and standing slowly. He held out his hands and began to chant. The wrists and ankles of all the demons began to glow and then snapped together as wire appeared around them.

Sango caught Miroku as he sagged. "You alright?" She asked almost desperately looking at his pale face. He smiled at her and stroked her butt with the hand that had conveniently rested beside it. She let go automatically. "You're fine." She looked around as he groaned on the hard floor. "Nice work." She knelt to study the wire closely. "A full demon could probably break it but not anyone who had even a drop of human blood."

"That was the idea." Miroku replied climbing to his feet and picking up his fallen staff. They wandered to the next door and tried to open it only to find it magically locked. "Well then…I guess we will just have to wait."

Sango bit her thumb nervously. "Do you think they'll be okay?"

"Of course." Miroku whispered cradling her close. He had complete faith in their companions. "But while we're waiting…" He started and let his hands fall to her butt. He accepted the punch to his face without worry, pleased he'd been able to distract her. She turned away a small smile on her lips and sat to wait for whatever would happen next.

* * *

**Miroku and Sango needed a bit of love :) and you know Inu-papa left TONS of enemies in some kind of stasis lol. Please review!!**


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26.**

**I know my updates have been slow (_Hearts _will be next!) and to be honest this is a really short chapter but there is a reason! The next chapter will deal with Inuyasha and Yasu and Kagome and Nyoko. I wanted them to have their own chapter instead of jumping around as I had been. Anyway, a battle here, revelations there, short and hopefully sweet, I present chapter 26.**

* * *

Kosuke stood poised on the end of her spear, staring at Fumiko who was sprawled unattractively at below her. She hopped off the spear as Fumiko leapt to her feet and kicked the wooden shaft of it up so that its end slammed up into Fumiko's chin. "You really aren't as much of a threat as you seem to think you are."

"Now, now…" Kioko chided her ducking under the swipe of Goro's claws. "It's very rude to insult your opponents." She swiped her sword at his extended arm leaving a deep gash in it before he managed to pull away. "Even if they are incompetent."

"Switch?" Kosuke asked kicking Fumiko towards her sister.

"Sure." Kioko replied bringing her blade to drive into Fumiko's foot as Kosuke jumped and tackled Goro from where he tried to sneak up on Kioko.

The two continued their playful, insulting banner as they tore their opponents to shreds. Goro was bleeding from sword slices, spear wounds, and poison attacks. Fumiko had begun to vomit from all the attacks on her chest and lungs and the poison she was being forced to inhale. It wasn't looking good for the two older demons and rage was beginning to build in them.

Goro finally pulled away, gaining distance from the two Wind/Dog demonesses and pulled Fumiko away as well. The two women stood side by side and linked arms watching with their heads leaned together. Goro felt the deep rage of his beast building inside of him, how was it possible that these two relatively young demons were able to best _him_? He was one of the older ones, not as old as Sesshomaru true, but close enough to be in his generation. Fumiko was younger, but she was still at least a century older than these two women.

"Having trouble?" A cold voice asked behind them. They turned and came face to face with Toran and Kagura.

"Toran! You traitor!" Fumiko hissed trying to launch herself at the panther only to be held back by the wolf.

"Traitor? I don't believe I ever swore loyalty to that boy…" Toran replied tilting her head to the side. "In fact…Lord Sesshomaru and I have been friends for a very long time." She turned to the woman standing beside her and gave her a small smile. "Isn't that right Lady Kagura?"

"It certainly is Lady Toran." Kagura smiled back.

At the blank shocked faces of the two demons Kioko smirked. "Oh that's right…you didn't know. Lady Toran is one of Lord Sesshomaru's nobles. She's the hidden ruler of the East."

Their faces darkened as rage began mix with embarrassment at their stupidity and Kosuke sighed. "Can we just kill them now? Father and Daiki are waiting for us to finish up." She nodded her head to where the two men stood tensed. Daiki looked angry and impatient but Sesshomaru was his normal calm self.

Kioko nodded and braced herself before lifting her sword once again. "Kosuke." She stated calmly. Her sister darted behind their two enemies gesturing for Toran and her mother to move aside. It was times like this that convinced so many that the two sister's were twins. It was unheard of for siblings born so far apart to have the telekinetic connection the two seemed to have but it was that way with all of the three siblings. They could feel Yasu in the other room, his anger and frustration. He could feel them as well. They knew what the other was planning without words. Kagura believed that it was a part of her sister Kanna's powers being passed on.

Without words the two girls charged at their enemies their weapons held to their left sides. Kioko's began to glow with a bright blue flame while Kosuke's spear was covered with a dark green mist. When they reached their enemies they saw Goro open his closed eyes to reveal the red eyes of his beast, but it was too late. Kosuke and Kioko swiped their weapons in a wide arch and sent large blasts of power out. The two caught in the middle didn't have a chance to dodge or block it. They disintegrated almost instantly.

Sesshomaru turned to Daiki and smirked. "I hope you'll prove to be more of a challenge than they were to my daughters."

Daiki came as close to hissing as a bird could and glared at Sesshomaru. "They were weak. I am not." He pulled two short swords from his belt and got into a fighting position.

Kagura chuckled as she and Toran headed to the doors they had come through. "Sango and Miroku are out here. I'm sure they would love to see you again." She remarked.

"I imagine so." Toran's own voice was light with amusement. She was fairly sure by Kagura's teasing tone that Miroku and Sango probably had no idea she was no longer their enemy, after all their alliance hadn't been established until after they had vanished into the future. "But don't you want to watch the slaughter?" She asked peering over her shoulder at Daiki who suddenly charged at Sesshomaru.

Kagura sniffed indignantly but the wicked glint in her eye showed her laughter clearly. "I find that usurpers are most troublesome." She turned as well and simply watched as Toran had requested. Kioko and Kosuke sat on the floor against the doors where their brother and uncle had gone, half their attention on their father, and half on whatever was happening with their brother. Sesshomaru hadn't bothered to draw Bakusaiga yet, at the moment he seemed to simply be dodging the swings of Daiki's weapons.

Daiki seemed to be getting more frustrated with each unsuccessful swing. Finally he stepped back and glared. "Don't toy with me Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru didn't answer. Instead he stood there watching silently. He knew Daiki and his talents, he knew the man wanted his throne. But because the man had stayed in the background, whining but generally doing nothing, Sesshomaru had left him alone. He was more than willing to take the man out, however, now that he'd come after Sesshomaru himself.

He let his eyes wander from his opponent in blatant disregard of his threat and met the amused eyes of his mate. Toran, beside her, was grinning wickedly as Sesshomaru stepped backwards to avoid a swordswipe from Daiki.

"Father…I believe Yasu and Uncle Inuyasha could use some help." Kosuke told him turning away from the door where she and her sister had been communicating with their brother.

"Why do you believe that?" Kagura asked peering at her daughters.

"Kagome and Nyoko ran off after Naraku. Inuyasha and Yasu were left to battle another of grandpa's old enemies." Kioko informed them. "Yasu and Inuyasha are worried about their women more than defeating the guy."

Kagura rolled her eyes. "As if Kagome can't take care of herself." She huffed and Toran smirked. They and Sesshomaru knew just how good Kagome was at taking care of herself. She liked to play the sweet, innocent, klutz, but there was no way that it was real. Not as often as she managed to escape and destroy everyone else's plans.

Kosuke and Kioko smiled softly at their mother thinking of all the stories they'd heard about Kagome their whole lives. Not only world Kagome be okay, but she'd save Nyoko and probably that human boy as well.

* * *

**Please review! Let me know if anyone actually likes this story anymore lol. See ya! And I promise, next chapter will be much longer!**


	27. Chapter 27

Kagome tugged Nyoko behind her as they quietly, but quickly followed Naraku down the hallway. She knew he was leading them into a trap; she'd been fighting him for years after all, she knew how his stupid mind worked. "Stay close." She whispered to Nyoko. "He'll separate us if he can."

Nyoko nodded and squeezed Kagome's hand tightly. She let the magic she was learning to control spread out around her to see if there were any sources of fire around them and slowed tugging Kagome to a halt. "There's a room lit by torches ahead of us, I think it's the end of the road."

Kagome chewed her lip for a moment and leaned closer to Nyoko as she thought aloud. "If there is no chance of rescuing Hojo from Naraku's control can you explode the room?"

Nyoko blinked and stared at the woman who'd become a good friend. "What?"

"If I can't separate Hojo from Naraku's grasp, we need to make sure that the body is completely destroyed." Kagome's voice was calm but Nyoko could see the pain the thought gave her. "If we can't separate them, I want you to implode the room so that the body is incinerated." When Nyoko started to protest she tightened her grip on her hand. "Promise me!"

"I promise." Nyoko stared into Kagome's eyes. Kagome didn't want her friend to die. She was praying with all her might that the boy could be saved. But how to make Naraku pull out of that body? "I have…an idea."

Kagome leaned forward til her forehead rested on Nyoko's and let a few tears drip down her face before meeting Nyoko's eyes with her own determined ones as Nyoko began to explain her idea.

Inuyasha ducked underneath the dragon's claws as he tried to send Inuyasha crashing into the door. "Damn it." He growled. The dragon's flesh was as tough as Ruukotseis and a windscar was not going to take him out easily even if Inuyasha dared to fire one. He was unsure what direction Kagome and Nyoko were and refused to aim the devastating attack on the off-chance they were in the line of fire.

Yasu dodged backwards as the tail swung at him and growled. "We need to end this, Uncle." He yanked Inuyasha out of the way of another attack and whispered into his ear. "Get behind him and use the Windscar, then get out of the way. I'll keep him distracted until you fire it, and then do something of my own. It'll be…explosive."

Inuyasha met the eyes of Sesshomaru's son for a long moment while the dragon began taunting them again. "You better get out of the way." He growled and ran towards the dragon.

Kosuke and Kioko had begun making peanut gallery noises to accompany Sesshomaru and Daiki's battle. They knew that Sesshomaru was going to kill him soon, and wanted to get all the fun out of watching their father battle as they could.

Suddenly Kioko's jaw dropped and she tilted her head towards the door behind them. "Inuyasha is going to use the Windscar!" She went back to watching her father dodge Daiki without effort. Abruptly he stopped moving completely, apparently he was ready to stop playing around.

Toran winced in sympathy as Daiki rushed forward to press his 'advantage' and only managed to get Sesshomaru's blade implanted between his eyes. "And here I was thinking you'd gotten rusty."

"Sesshomaru would never let himself get rusty." Kagura scolded her lightly.

The doors between them and Miroku and Sango silently unlocked and fell open. They peered through and saw Miroku and Sango cuddling on the steps to the door and their enemies bound all over the room.

"How cute." Kosuke smiled watching the two jump and turn around.

"Oh you're done-Toran?!" Miroku gasped, his jaw dropping slightly in shock as he took in the blue haired demoness.

"Hey Monk." She greeted waving her hand slightly at the two of them. "Slayer." Sesshomaru snorted lightly at them as he cleaned his blade on Daiki's clothing. Leave it to the cat to play down her sudden appearance.

"No time for pleasantries." Kioko scowled, turning back to the still closed door. A shudder began building from there and moments before it hit the door, it suddenly stopped.

"What…" Sango started only to jerk backwards as a massive explosion rocked the whole building.

"Damn good thing I put up a barrier." Toran crossed her arms. "That would have had human's calling the cops on us for sure."

"I get the feeling that won't be the last explosion." Kagura murmured watching the door as it began to creak open, cracks now covering it's wood. "Kagome _is_ running around with a pyro after all."

"Let's go find them. I don't want to miss the show." Toran grinned and they started forward.

"I just want to get back to Merry." Kosuke growled lightly. "I promised her a date as soon as this was finished and before she went back home."

"You might as well admit she's moving in." Kioko grinned cheekily. "We all know it."

Kosuke grinned back as they got closer and heard Yasu and Inuyasha talking. "You're just jealous."

Kioko laughed, not denying or admitting anything and they pushed the door open the rest of the way.

Inuyasha straightened from behind his sword to check that the dragon was indeed dead. He had to assume he was, because there was no more dragon, just ash. "How'd you do that?" Inuyasha asked jogging over to his nephew to tug him to his feet.

"Part of Aunt Kanna's mirror is in my sword. I rarely use the power but it can capture and return what power it takes multiplied." Yasu explained accepting Inuyasha's hand up. "Sometimes it can get too explosive though.

Inuyasha glanced at the scorched walls and knew that the only reason the building was still standing was because of the magic built into it. "Couldn't tell. Why don't you have better control over it?" Inuyasha asked noticing the irony of someone who took forever to control their own sword asking that.

"We stopped getting powerful enemies about the time the sword was finished, so I don't have quite the control over it that I wish I did." He shrugged, "It won't kill me or my loved ones though so I am not too concerned."

"Nice work, bro." Kosuke smiled at them as they all entered. She prodded a larger pile of ash with her toe. "Very neat."

"And here we thought your mate was going to be the one to make piles of ash." Kagura winked at him.

"Give it time, she still might." Sesshomaru remarked, his eyes going to the door half-hidden on the side wall.

"Let's get moving. I'm worried about them." Inuyasha admitted quietly.

"They're fine." Kioko reassured them, hopping over to wrap her brother in a hug. She squeezed his tense shoulders and sighed. "Alright, let's go." The whole group followed Inuyasha and Yasu who began jogging down the hall that lay behind the hidden door.

Kagome kept her eyes on Hojo and the handgun he held in his hand as Nyoko moved slightly to her side. The door had closed behind them, locking them into the room with Hojo, much as Kagome and Nyoko had rather expected, and Hojo had leveled a gun at them immediately.

Kagome had practiced shooting, but in reality she'd known she wouldn't use it. It was more difficult putting her power into a bullet than her arrows. Maybe one day, she could perfect it, but it wouldn't have been before this battle either way.

"Why couldn't you just die? Why couldn't you stay dead?" Hojo growled, his eyes burning a dark red.

"I had people to live for Naraku." Kagome told him tightly slipping a bow from her quiver. "You have one chance to get out of that body before I _force_ you out."

Naraku laughed cruelly. "There isn't a way for me to leave without killing the boy. You don't want to kill him…do you?" His voice and face changed so that the evilness was hidden behind Hojo's real expression and voice. "Kagome…"

Kagome closed her eyes in pain at the suffering in Hojo's voice and didn't flinch when the sound of the gun firing filled the room. It was two distinct shots and a burst of hot air in front of her let her know that Nyoko was on the ball.

The melted bullets hit the floor a few feet in front of the two and Naraku's face twisted in shock. He knew that they had gathered this girl for a reason, he had felt her power before and knew it could be dangerous, but he hadn't known she was able to manipulate _fire_. He stared at her hungrily for a moment before he noticed the determined and hard look in her eyes. She was too much like Kagome to come to him if he asked. He'd just have to take her power by force.

Nyoko watched calmly as he turned the gun on her and she flicked her fingers. She didn't wait for him to fire the gun this time. Fire leapt from the empty air and wrapped itself around the hand holding the gun, causing him to scream in pain and drop it. "Now Kagome." Nyoko told her and began gathering her power.

The plan was simple. Kagome would fill an arrow full of purifying power and hit some place non-fatal on Hojo. The purification would force Naraku to flee from the body, if he hadn't completely taken over the boys soul, and Nyoko would use what she called 'hell-fire' to destroy the soul as it left the body, a small amount of it was curled around her wrist like a bracelet and when she forced power into it, it exploded into a massive amount of fire that could touch non-corporeal objects. 'Hell-fire' was fire that contained a large amount of magical fire, all different kinds, with a base of real fire. It burned hotter and faster than any of them separately.

Kagome closed her eyes briefly as Hojo cursed and then opened to fire. The arrow nearly exploded with power and hit Hojo high in the shoulder. He began screaming as the power moved through his body and Kagome could see Naraku's spirit trying to find a place inside of Hojo that would be safe.

He finally leapt from the body, leaving it to drop to the ground as he tried to fly away, cursing but he was brought up short by a ring of flames. They slowly began to close in on him and he turned to look at Kagome and Nyoko. He could feel the others outside the door, hammering to get in. He'd always been obsessed with Kikyo, and then Kagome, their pure spirits, their good hearts, and how badly he wanted to corrupt them, how he wanted that purity for himself. As the fire closed in on him, he met Kagome's eyes and to his surprise, found no hatred there. Simply pity. In a way, that made it worse. Even after all he'd done, all he'd made her go through, to get to the point where she'd finally kill him again, he still couldn't taint her.

Damn.

He let out a last horrendous scream as the fire closed in on him and a white light flashed behind his eyes. And he was gone.

Nyoko sagged and Kagome caught her gently. "That was pretty easy." She gasped smiling at Kagome.

Kagome smiled back, tiredly and nodded. "If I didn't have you here, it wouldn't have been. I don't think anyone else could destroy him in that form. I certainly couldn't before he managed to possess someone else. It would just have been years of body hopping." She and Nyoko limped over to Hojo and inspected his unconscious body. The arrow was gone and it seemed to have closed the wound as well. There was no telling the mental damage Hojo must have suffered being under the control of someone as evil as Naraku, but he was alive to try and heal at least.

"I didn't even get to use my weapon." Nyoko muttered glancing at the weapon in her hand. "I would say it was a waste to learn it but…well I rather like my naginata."

Kagome laughed quietly. "I'm glad you didn't have to fight. How would I explain it to Yasu that I let you be in danger? It would ruin my reputation."

They both began to laugh and heard the door slam open behind them only to glance up in time to be swooped into individual hugs by their men. Kagome sighed as she felt Inuyasha's strong arms around her and knew that it was finally over. It seemed too easy after the weeks of pain Naraku had made them all suffer from, but Kagome knew that while Naraku was gone, his legacy probably wasn't. He'd managed to find so many demons that were ignorant or hateful of Sesshomaru's kind rule, it wouldn't take much for someone else to decide to try things Naraku's way; especially since he didn't seem to have acted with any tact.

But for now…they were finished with this battle and it was time to enjoy a bit of peace.


	28. Chapter 28: Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**Thanks for reading this story and I hope the Ep doesn't disappoint.**

_Six Months Later_

The building was dark, even the emergency lights had dimmed for the show. A circular stage in the middle of the area was lit by a single torch that sat dead center. Suddenly two glows appeared on the far edges of the stage as piano music started; all those who'd seen one of the Takashi Sister's shows, knew the glows were the necklaces that they wore. Soft lights shone down on the two girls who pirouetted to the gentle music and danced mirrored movements as they moved closer to the center of the stage. When they reached the center and paused one hand high and the other held in supplication out to the torch as the song ended and the spotlights went out. A low deep bass beat started and the torch flickered with each thump. The glows began sliding away and with a particularly loud thump, the torch exploded itself out and where it had been, now there was a third glow.

Murmuring started in the higher seats of the audience, where the usual business corporate crowd sat. The Sisters had added a third dancer? In the family box, proud smiles flicked across many faces. When the spotlights came on again, Kioko with her blue glow, held a sword that's blade shone oily, Kosuke with her green glow, held a shiny spear and the newest in the middle, Nyoko with a bright orange glow, held a large naginata.

Nyoko slowly spun on her right toe, dragging the blade in a circle along the floor. Flames leapt to life behind the weapon and raced outward to surround the whole stage. They faded down to a bare flicker and left the three women with weapons now on fire. The silence was broken by the screech of a violin and suddenly the three moved.

The audience watched in amazement as Kioko, Kosuke, and Nyoko danced their way around the stage, flipped through the fires which leapt and died as they moved, and fought gracefully against each other. No one doubted the weapons were real, the girls in danger and they held their breaths with every complex and dangerous move. When the song ended abruptly, all lights went out again and the glows, now pressed close together, faded to black.

After a few moments, the building shook with the force of cheering and screaming. Unlike the majority of their showings, which were all business tycoons, all the schools in the area and studios, had been invited which was why they had done the show in the Tokyo Dome this time. Students had wondered why the hype for a half-an-hour show but after that performance, they didn't care how long they'd had to wait for the short show and pitied those who had skipped out on going.

A light came up revealing a young man who smiled widely out at the audience. "Hello!" He waited for the cheering to die down and then winked. "I'm Yasu. Since we have so many new faces tonight I'm going to introduce to you, our performers." Again he waited for the cheering to die before holding out a hand to his left. "My older sister, Kosuke." Kosuke stepped up to his side from the darkness, her green dress swirling gracefully around her ankles and leaned gently onto the spear at her side. Loud catcalls and screams filled the arena and she smiled softly her eyes taking everyone in before locking on Merry in the family's box. "My eldest sister, Kioko." Yasu called out as Kioko stepped up on his right in a tight blue dress with slit sides beginning just under the belt that held her sword to her hips. She grinned widely, winking out at the crowd and blowing kisses at a particularly rowdy bunch of teenage boys to her right. "And joining us for the first time tonight…Nyoko." Yasu stepped to the side revealing Nyoko in black slacks and a shimmering light orange shirt, her naginata slung across her back. She blushed and smiled shyly as everyone cheered and slipped her hand into Yasu's.

When it was quiet again Kioko took the mike smiling. "Thank you so much for joining us tonight! As usual, we ask for donations for our charities. Tonight's donations are specifically targeted at furthering arts and sports in our schools." Kioko smiled as the students whistled and cheered. "We'd like you to take a moment to help us welcome Nyoko." She winked at Nyoko, who blushed a bright red.

Nyoko accepted the mike shyly and smiled at the crowd, feeling overwhelmed but appreciative of the support of Yasu and his sisters. "Thank you. The Takashi's have become like my family and I'm proud to be up here with them." She handed the microphone to Kosuke who smiled lightly.

"Soon to be true family, we hope." She teased as Yasu blushed looking down at where he held Nyoko's hand. "Now enough teasing. The three of us will be up here willing to answer any questions you have. Have a safe evening." They moved to sit at the edge of the stage where bodyguards were lining people up to approach them.

Nyoko smiled as she saw Kagome with the guards wearing a red, 'SECURITY' shirt. She was probably sending a calming aura over the crowd to keep them in check. Her wedding ring winked as she waved at Nyoko when she let the first group approach the stage. Kagome and Inuyasha had gotten back from their month long honeymoon a few days earlier, kissed by the Caribbean sun and glowing with happiness.

* * *

A few hours later Nyoko sighed as she leaned back into the pillows of her bed smiling at the now year-old Mika as she toddled around the room with Yasu. "I'm glad you all managed to talk me into it." She confessed. "I had a good time."

"Good. I knew you would." Yasu smiled, lifting Mika into his arms and rubbing noses with her. "You should be asleep, you know." He scolded her gently.

"Dada!" Mika grinned as Nyoko and Yasu's jaws dropped.

"She just…" Yasu stuttered his heart racing and a smile blooming across his face.

Nyoko smiled softly at the two of them, happy at how much they loved each other. It made it possible for Nyoko to stay with him. She closed her eyes, almost drifting to sleep, but woke when she felt something pressed into her palm. Opening her eyes she looked in shock at the open jewelry box and then at Yasu.

"I was going to ask you at the show…" Yasu murmured his eyes locked with hers. "But I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. I love you Nyoko. I think I always have. I want to be with you, always. Will you marry me and be my mate?"

Nyoko felt her eyes fill with tears. It wasn't a long romantic proposal, but it was heartfelt and honest. She leapt from the bed, dropping the jewelry box to the floor and wrapped her arms around Yasu's neck, careful not to hit Mika. "Yes, yes, a thousand times yes." She whispered pressing her lips gently to his.

Yasu set Mika on the floor as she grinned at them and turned to take Nyoko more fully into his arms. "One's enough." He whispered back and kissed her deeply.

"Dada! Mama!" Mika tugged at their clothing trying to get them to pay attention to her.

Nyoko pulled away, crying with happiness and smiled into Yasu's own overly bright eyes. "I do love you Yasu."

Yasu smiled and lifted the baby. "Let's go tell the family the good news." He held out a hand to her and they walked down to the kitchen where they'd left the others a little while earlier.

* * *

"It's not funny!" Kioko growled slamming her hand onto the table in anger.

Nyoko raised an eyebrow at the display. Kioko was always excitable, but usually it wasn't in anger. "What'd we miss?"

"Hojo sent Kioko another bunch of flowers." Inuyasha laughed turning to face them. He jumped aside as Kioko launched a punch at the back of his head.

"I'm just happy he isn't after me anymore." Kagome teased laughing as Kioko turned her glare on her. When Hojo had recovered from the magic and woken up, Kioko had been tending him and he'd immediately latched onto her as his savior, an angel, his true love.

Kioko had been dodging his calls, gifts, and letters ever since.

"Someone go attack him and let some pretty human save him in the hospital so he'll leave me alone." She growled putting her head on the table.

"Is that a ring?" Merry called out into the quiet chuckling, taking pity on her lovers sister.

The room crowded around congratulating Yasu and Nyoko and they began celebrating. The terrible days were long over and finally, they were able to live without worry. They didn't expect life to always be easy. After all, Merry, Kagome, and Nyoko were (or were going to be) mated to demons of the Lord of all Demon's blood. Battles would come, battles would go, but they'd all, always be together.

**

* * *

**

THE END

**Finally? Maybe? How many people actually followed along with this? Probably not a lot. I almost ditched it I admit, it went differently from what I'd planned and it pissed me off. (sigh) Anyway, I hope you liked the ending and the whole story. Thanks for reading!!**

**I have a whole lot of new things that I will be beginning next so make sure that I am on Author Alert so you know when I start if you like my work. If you send me a special request I'll send you a list of the things to come (so you can decide if I'm worth the Alert lol). I was going to put them on here but it took up a lot of space so I moved it to its own file.**


End file.
